


The Heart Never Lies

by Jentrevellan



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Cute, F/M, Fluff, edwin - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-10-10
Updated: 2016-10-18
Packaged: 2018-08-23 06:41:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 78,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8317753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jentrevellan/pseuds/Jentrevellan
Summary: An Edward x Winry 30 Themes FanFic. Containing love, laughter, tears, angst, blood, sex and a plot...





	1. Introduction

A very young little girl, only about two years old, sat quietly on the front porch of a yellow house that was basking in the mid-afternoon sun. She had light blonde hair that was in a little bob, with a salmon hair band on her head and was wearing a simple pink dress with tiny little sandals that were dangling off her feet as she casually swung her legs beneath her. Her blue eyes gazed into the distance, where the white fluffy clouds were rolling over the hills on the horizon as her right hand rested on a sleeping black and white puppy. She squinted at the clouds, trying to make pictures out of them, until her attention was drawn to three figures coming across the nearby hill along the dirt path that led to the yellow house. They appeared to be walking quickly and the girl's eyes narrowed to try and identify the figures as they rapidly drew closer. The tallest figure was a man with long blond hair tied back into a ponytail at the back of his head; untidy strands floating around his face as her ran. Clinging to his arm desperately was a woman whose stomach was incredibly round and large. As they got closer, the young girl could see that the woman was breathing deeply yet shallow, as beads of sweat clung tightly to her wet face. Her eyes were screwed in pain as she concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other, her right arm pulling something along beside her. A little boy with thick shots of golden blond hair gave the woman worried looks as he tried to keep up with the fast pace the two adults were setting.

Suddenly nervous, the young girl stood up when she realised that the woman was heavily pregnant and had probably come to see the girl's parents, who were doctors. She turned on her heel as the little puppy barked at her feet as the trio came closer.

"Daddy?" she cried as she entered the house, her eyes adjusting slowly from the brightness outside.

A small woman walked into the room with a pipe in her mouth. "What is it dear?" she asked, peering at her though her small spectacles that were perched on her nose.

"People outside," she turned and glanced out of the door, counting under her breath. "Err, three peoples..." she said, slightly proud that her counting was becoming quicker.

The small woman peered through the door, and her pipe dropped from her mouth and fell to the dark wooden floor with a clatter. The little girl stared and picked it up in her small hands, examining it closely.

"Grandma, smoke thing fell," she said, looking up, only to find that her grandmother was nowhere in sight.

"Sara! It's the Elrics! Trisha looks like she is about to burst!" the young girl heard her grandmother shout somewhere in the house. She placed the pipe on the table and then stepped outside and went to the puppy who was barking madly on the step at the approaching family. She picked the pup up in her arms looked at the woman who was doubling over in pain. Her chestnut hair was greasy and wet as her breathing became quicker. When she approached the stairs holding on desperately to the man's arm, she let out a moan of pain.

The man turned to her and worry flashed in his eyes. The young girl felt concerned and looked for her parents who were standing at the door. They ushered the couple inside. The young girl and the young boy proceeded to follow until the little girl's father stood in the doorway.

"Winry; you and Edward stay you here, alright? Keep each other company while I help his parents," the young girl nodded, her big blue eyes fixed on him. The man leaned forward and ruffled her hair, a small smile on his face. "There's my girl," he said and went inside where a scream issued, so he closed the door tightly shut.

There was silence as the two children stood together on the porch. The puppy struggled in her arms, so she let him down. The young boy sighed and slumped down on the porch step in the exact same spot the girl had been sat previously. The puppy ran up to him and licked his right arm.

The boy laughed and stroked him. "Dog name?" he asked, not taking his eyes off the puppy that was enjoying the attention.

The girl smiled and sat down next him. "Den," she replied, patting the dog on the back.

They sat next to each other both in a companionable silence, stroking the dog whilst staring into the distance. A few muffled yells could be heard from the house inside, but the pair just sat quietly and enjoyed each other's silent company.

The blond boy sat up slightly. "What's metal stuff called?" he said, turning to her.

She frowned and turned to him. "Um, ato...atomal," she corrected.

He smiled a wide grin. "Attomal? You like attomal?" he asked, curiosity sparkling in his large amber eyes.

She nodded, a smile on her face. "Yes! Winry going to be atomal mechy. Like too?"

The boy frowned. "No. Edward alkemyst," he said proudly, banging a fist into his chest.

She scrunched her face up in confusion. "what's a...an...ak...myst?"

He laughed, making the young girl blush and her temper rise slightly. She placed her hands on her hips as he continued to laugh hysterically. "Not nice to laugh. You bad," she said, sticking her tongue out. He abruptly stopped laughing. They glared at each other for a few moments before they both looked away at the same time, sighing as the stared off into opposite directions.

It was the boy who broke the silence again. "Edward," he said, turning towards her again, holding out his hand.

The young girl stared down at it for some time and then slapped his hand away friendly and pointed to herself; "Winry," she smiled. They spoke little to each other as the sun began to descend into the valley, with Den being the centre of their attention. The children took it in turns to throw a stick for him to fetch, their minds distracted from what was occurring inside the house until a loud and high pitched cry issued.

They exchanged glances and ran towards the window, both standing on tiptoes, the girl being slightly taller than the boy. He glanced at her and noticed this, making something inside him anger slightly, however his attention focused back to what he could just about see through the window when he saw his mother sat in a chair with a bundle wrapped in her arms. The bundle moved slightly and began to wail that was silenced when the tall blond man approached and place his arms around the woman's shoulders.

"Happy..." Winry whispered into the glass, her breath leaving a mark on the window for a split second before the sun stole it away.

The front door suddenly opened and the children jumped down from the window, feeling guilty. Winry's parents stood there, with Mrs Rockbell wiping her forehead as she spoke to them. "Come on kids! You can come inside now. There's someone who wants to meet you..."

Edward and Winry walked next to each other, their shoulders touching as they entered the stuffy and fairly dark room.

"Edward! Come over here..." Trisha said, beckoning the children forward.

Edward and Winry approached and were shocked to see a sleeping little form in her arms. They were both surprised to see how small it was and the sandy coloured hair that was atop of his tiny head. Suddenly it opened its chestnut eyes and stared straight at Edward, not blinking.

The man leaned forward and smiled. "Edward, this is your new brother, Alphonse."

Trisha chuckled. "I think he is happy to see you," she said, looking at Winry who was peering over Edward's shoulder.

"Alphonse," they whispered together, amber and blue eyes sparkling in curiosity.


	2. Love

She had known for a long time.

Winry would think long and hard about her emotions and tried desperately to keep them under control. It was very un-professional of her to feel like this towards one of her clients, but she couldn't help it anymore because she felt like she was fighting a losing battle with a strong feeling in her chest that had secretly taken control over the last year.

It was an unusually cold day in Resembool and Winry climbed out of bed, her hair completely tangled from sleep and her eyelids heavy. She wore a thin baggy shirt over small black sorts, so no wonder she felt the chill. Grabbing her duvet and wrapping it tightly around her, she sleepily made her way downstairs, her bare feet tapping gently against the wooden floor boards. She entered the kitchen, wearily glancing up at the clock on the wall and noted that the sun would probably be rising soon and would snatch away the cold as it rose.

She moved slowly around the kitchen and rummaged around for a snack of some sort. She let out a triumphant yet sleepy squeal when she found the last cookie in a jar on top of a cupboard. Nibbling it eagerly, she turned to gaze out the window whilst she enjoyed the cookie and saw the sky get lighter. She stood there, waiting like she did every morning since she had come home from the North, the silence thick around her.

Winry would usually do this. She had got into the bad habit of seeking out food in the kitchen during the early hours and then waiting for a few hours before she took on the tasks of the day's work. She leaned against the cold window frame, her eyes half closed as she felt goose bumps rise on her arms, even though she still had her duvet around her. She watched as the sky changed colour and the sun crawl slowly into the sky, their silence being broken by the chirping of the rising birds in the trees. She listened to the music they made and felt her heart sink as she realised another day would pass and nothing would happen. Sighing, she slumped slightly and dragged her eyes away from the horizon and glanced around the kitchen, believing that it was about time she made a cup of tea.

In the second that she turned away, two silhouetted figures appeared on the bright horizon.

Rummaging around the kitchen, she began to make her tea, and made two mugs so that she could take one up to her grandmother in bed. The kettle boiled and Winry poured one mug full of the hot water and stirred the contents and then poured the water into the next mug, glancing out of the window.

The mug overflowed with boiling water and spilled over the counter and onto the floor as Winry stared in disbelief. Only when it began to spread over the kitchen floor and the boiling liquid touched her toes her toes did she snap back to reality. She swore under her breath but instead of grabbing a cloth, she dropped her duvet, ran through the kitchen and pulled open the front door to be greeted by the crisp morning air. Ignoring the cold that surrounded her, she stared at the path that led to the house and began to walk along it with bare feet. She couldn't help it when she broke into a run to meet the figures quicker, one of them leaning on the other.

Edward was desperate to return home. Yes, he admitted it – _home_. He knew why it was home, but he felt like he couldn't admit that to himself yet, which angered him slightly.

Alphonse had been buzzing the entire journey and ate a lot of from the food-trolley that came every half an hour. Edward had joked that it was Alphonse who used to tease him for eating too much, and now look at the hypocrite. Their journey had been pleasant and Edward, for once, felt like it was time to relax even though his stomach was twisting inside him, making him fidget every now and again. This was very unlike him.

Sometimes on the journey and there was silence, in which Edward would think long and hard about where they were heading. That grassy hill, the yellow house, _that_ small black top on her slim figure...

"Ed, what are you thinking about?" Alphonse asked; his voice speckled with amusement.

Edward jolted and blinked at his brother. His brother began chuckling before he could respond. "I don't think I'll ask," Alphonse noted as he saw Edward's cheeks flush a little. There was a pause. "You know I can't wait to see Granny and Winry's faces when we show up," Alphonse commented, taking a bite out of an apple and attempting to change the subject a little.

Edward smiled. "Me neither, but we did get the earlier train, so I doubt they will be awake and Winry will probably complain that we woke her from her 'very much needed sleep'," Edward sighed and turned away.

Alphonse huffed. "You know that's probably not true. You made a promise remember?"

"I know I did…but I can't fulfil it, can I?" he muttered irritably.

"I'm back to normal; I know she will cry over that!" Alphonse laughed. Edward didn't reply, but smiled at the fact that his brother was indeed here in the flesh, even though he was completely under-weight and Edward needed to help him walk.

The clerks at the station we silenced into a shocked silence when Edward and Alphonse greeted them, before walking up the road to the yellow house over the field. They heard them exchange surprised and excited whispers when they thought the brothers were out of ear-shot.

"Is that the younger Elric…Alphonse?" the man asked the woman.

She nodded. "I believe it is, although he looks painfully thin…I wonder what happened to him?" She replied.

Al leaned on his brother as they walked in silence, both of them in deep thoughts, as the sun started to rise over the valley, even though the air was cold. Edward placed his red coat around his younger brother to keep the chill off him and soon enough, that yellow house on the horizon became closer. They both pause for a moment to collect their thoughts as the sun beamed onto the house, appearing to make it glow. Al smiled and Edward couldn't help but smile slightly too, even though it was a bit hesitant. He felt his heart thumping against his chest and he wondered if Al could actually hear the banging he heard in his ears.

Making them both jump with surprise, the door flew open and a figure came walking out. They continued to walk, but now Edward's face had broken into a huge grin with the doubts in his mind forgotten. Al cheered and waved his left arm in the air, crying out to the figure that had broken into a run.

Winry's eyes glistened as her eyes lay on Al in a frail body and yet she felt herself laughing at the same time. When she reached them, she ran into them both and pulled them into a vicious hug, noticing how they were both taller than her, so they had to lean down. They stood like that for a long time, just the tree of them, with no words spoken but their laugher ringing out through the valley. Eventually Winry pulled away, her wet cheek lightly touching Edward's.

Winry looked both of them up and down with a huge grin on her face when suddenly it was wiped away when she realised that she was wearing noting but a baggy white shirt and a small black pair of shorts and Edward was looking straight at her, also with a slight tint of red in his cheeks. Clearing her throat and wiping her cheeks, she broke the slight tension. "Come inside! I have just made some tea, but I think I made a bit of a mess and spilt some…" she laughed, leading them back up to the house.

When they entered the house and Winry closed the door behind her, there was another silence as Winry frowned, her eyes darting between Edward's left leg and right arm. Alphonse took the surroundings in excitedly and touched the table in the middle of the room; his eyes wide and amused, not noticing the stolen glances Edward and Winry gave each other.

"Right, well you can go and get the tea I have made and I will go and get granny, alright? And, err get dressed too," she blushed, smiled and then headed towards the stairs. "Sorry about the mess!" she called over her shoulder, feeling Edward's eyes on her.

The brothers entered the kitchen and found a broken mug lying on the floor and the floorboards soaked in tea. Edward picked up the mug and smiled slightly whilst Alphonse grabbed a cloth off the side.

"Did you see Winry's face? It was priceless…I told you she would be happy and I think I saw tears in her eyes too." Al said as he kneeled down and began to mop up the tea.

Edward smiled again, as he collected all of the fragments of the mug and placed them together. Al's next comment almost made him drop the pieces.

"But even though I'm the one who has changed, she couldn't stop looking at you…and you her," he said distractedly.

Edward turned to look at his brother quickly, feeling his face heat up again. "What did you say?"

Al chuckled smugly as he stood up with a tea-stained cloth in his hands. "You heard me-"

"Alphonse!" a cry issued from the door, where a small woman stood in a dressing gown. They exchanged a hug in which Pinako muttered about how thin he was. Then she turned to Winry who was standing a little behind. "Winry, why don't you make something for these boys? They must be starving," Pinako smiled, looking at Winry who had now changed into more comfortable clothes and her hair was a bit straighter.

She nodded and moved into the kitchen, slid past Edward and began grabbing some food from cupboards. Al was led into the living room with Pinako but Edward stayed, mumbling that he would follow in a minute. He moved towards the counter and clapped his hands and a blue light erupted making Winry stop and stare as the mug's fragments were put back together. When the light disappeared, a perfectly made mug stood on the counter without a scratch on it.

Winry laughed and took the mug in her hand. "Thanks for that. You can't even tell it was smashed!" she smiled and poured some more water into it, removing the teabag and then took both of the mugs in her hands and carried them through to the living room, glancing at Edward with a smile on her face.

Edward remained in the kitchen and looked at the ingredients Winry had laid out. He couldn't help but smile when he realised what she was going to make. He heard her enter the kitchen again. "Apple pie, eh? Sounds good," he turned and looked at her.

Winry smiled again. "Of course! I told you I would, didn't I? I've got a lot better since the last one you had." She boasted, laughing slightly.

Winry began to cut up the apples into little pieces as Edward turned the oven on, every now and again exchanging small talk.

"Ed; pass me the rolling pin from the bottom shelf, would you?" she asked, her eyes focused on kneading the dough.

Edward kneeled down, took his gloves off and pulled out the rolling pin from under the sink. He passed it to her.

She glanced at him, "thanks, I-" she stopped and stared as she took the rolling pin from him, her eyes fixed on his right hand.

Winry placed the rolling pin on the counter and moved towards Ed, her breath catching in her throat. Hesitantly, she touched his hand and rolled up the black sleeve of his jumper, her breathing becoming intensely reduced. When the sleeve was rolled all the way up to his elbow, she ran her cool hands over his arm and felt cool metal beneath her finger tips. She frowned and looked up at him. Edward couldn't help but blush slightly under her somewhat intimate touch. Ed looked down at her speechless face and grimaced, pulling his arm away.

"You came for maintence..." Winry mumbled, looking down at her feet.

Edward closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, and could faintly smell the sweet scent of vanilla. "I didn't just come for maintence. I told you I would be back after it was all over..." He replied, strained.

"But I guess it isn't all over, if you haven't got your body back-" She started.

"Winry..." He mumbled weakly and moved towards her and gingerly wrapped his arms around her.

Her eyes snapped open when Winry realised that she was being pulled into an embrace. She carefully wrapped her arms lightly around his waist and rested her head on his collarbone.

"I'm taller than you," he whispered. Edward then silently cursed himself at the stupidity of his words and stuck his jaw out in irritation.

Winry chuckled darkly. "I thought you hadn't noticed. You have been taller than me for a few months now…" she trailed off when Ed pulled away a little and looked down at her; his deep amber eyes expressing emotions Winry had never seen before -

"Winry! How long will that apple pie be?" Pinako called from the other end of the house, making Edward and Winry jump away from each other. Winry ran her fingers nervously through her hair and Edward scratched the back of his head.

"Just rolling it out now!" she called back, her voice weak, giving herself away. Winry felt flustered and quickly rolled the dough out and finally finished the pie feeling incredibly self-conscious because she could feel someone's eyes on her whilst she worked, which was very distracting.

When the pie was in the oven, Edward and Winry walked into the living room mentioning that it would only take about thirty minutes to cook. They sat down and exchanged in polite conversation, for Al had a lot of questions for both Pinako and Winry. When there was a silence, two people broke it at the same time:

"I'll make some tea," Edward and Winry said in unison. They turn and look at each other, before diving out of the room at the same time, each of them desperate to make the tea first and check on the pie.

"No Ed, I'll make it! It's fine!" Al and Pinako head Winry call.

"Don't worry about it! I've got it sorted!" Edward replied, his voice higher than usual.

Al, with a confused look on his face looked at Pinako who chuckled. "Well it's about bloody time, don't you think Alphonse? Heh, Love blossoming under my very own roof…"


	3. Light

She had a schedule to keep to, and that was a fact. Even though the brothers had returned home, Winry still had her models to make, and would reluctantly pull out of conversations to go down to the basement and continue to work. Many times she had felt those burning amber eyes follow her out of the room, but she tried to ignore it.

But that was easier said than done.

Winry would find her thoughts drifting, as they always did, to Edward. It frustrated her so much, but now it was even harder, for she now had to maintain a pensive appearance, while deep down inside all she wanted to do is to sit down with him late in the night and talk about everything. She wanted to hear his voice as much as possible in case he disappeared and went away again. She shook her head under the dim basement light. In case? No; he always goes away and she never hears from him or sees him for a while.

She sat down at her work chair by the bench and pulled out a few blue-prints and began analysing and editing them, ignoring the flickering light above her. But then again, her mind turned to the person who was obviously walking around the kitchen above – his footsteps sounding even-

Winry gasped and looked up and the creaking ceiling, where Edward was moving around in the kitchen above. He seemed to be stumbling a fair bit, but she was sure that she could not hear the obviously heavy step that he usually had. Did that mean...?

Shaking herself again, she turned to her work, until the light began to fade. She turned around and glanced at the ceiling light which was flickering. Sighing deeply, Winry rose from her stool and stretched, but the basement door opened and diverted her attention.

Those now even steps were making their way downstairs and Edward appeared, holding two mugs of coffee. He smiled awarkdly at her and gestured the mug in his hand. "I thought you might want some caffeine to keep you going?" he said smiling.

Winry exhaled and moved over to him and took the mug from his flesh hand. She wrapped her hands around it, relishing the heat that radiated from the hot liquid. She brought it to her lips and took a sip and closing her eyes so she could enjoy the taste. She opened her eyes after she had swallowed and found herself being watched. Her cheeks flushed. "Thanks, Ed," she said quietly. "You always knew that I like my coffee milky," Winry smiled, turning away and walking back to her work desk.

Edward chuckled. "Yeah... can't see why though...black coffee is very appetising."

There was a silence as Winry sat down and began to pour over the blue-prints again, and for a few minutes it was so quite that she thought that Edward must have just left quietly or disappeared altogether. It was a surprise when she briefly looked over her shoulder to see Edward still standing in the middle of the basement, staring angrily into his coffee mug, with his flesh fist clenched. Turning back to her notes quickly as he looked up, Winry felt her face heat up and her eyebrows crease in confusion.

Winry heard him take some steps and she assumed that he was leaving but suddenly, she felt his breath on the back of her neck, giving her goose bumps. He leaned over, placing his flash hand on the desk and his automail one on the back of her chair, so that he could easily see what she was reading.

"Is this one of your new models?" He asked.

Winry couldn't see his face, but she could feel how close he was. She looked to her left and saw the curving muscles on his wrist and up his arm. She coughed and nodded her head. "Yes, this is my most recent design, although I don't hope to make it for a while yet," she replied curtly, trying to keep her voice even.

"Oh, why not?" he asked, genuinely.

"Because this is the design for a left leg and my best customer doesn't seem to need one anymore," she replied, trying to keep the slight anger and amusement out of her voice.

She felt Edward go very still. Clenching her jaw and ignoring her mind that told her to leave it, she span in her seat and faced him. "Do you think I'm stupid Ed? Do you honestly think I can't hear the evenness in your steps now, after hearing them be uneven for so many years? Do you think that I wouldn't be able to tell if my model wasn't there?" Winry said quickly, whilst all the while Edward avoided her gaze.

He sighed. "Of course not...I was just....I don't know....you were expecting me back in one piece and here I have failed you again..."

"Again? What are you talking about? I understand that some things have happened but if you would only talk to me about it, then maybe I can make some sense of things-"

"You weren't there," he retorted darkly.

Winry stood up quickly, making Edward move back a little. "Oh and whose fault is that?" Winry shot back. Now he looked up into her eyes. "You told me to stay here and wait for you, against my better will. I wanted to go with you, I wanted to be there in case my automail failed you like it has in the past and I wanted to help you and everybody as much as I can, but no; I sat and waited here for six months waiting to hear some news like a wimpy wife of a solider-"

"Well I am in the military!" Edward yelled.

"Yes, and I am no wimpy wife Edward! And you don't own me!" Winry shouted. Winry placed a hand to her forehead and rubbed it. "For god's sake Ed, we are practically adults now and yet you still treat me like a kid? I know you're not a kid anymore-"

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked quickly, as Winry suddenly covered her mouth, a blush rising on her cheeks.

She turned away as the blush subsided. "It doesn't matter. I need to get on with my work..."

But as soon as the words were out of her mouth, the flickering light above suddenly went out, and all light in the room was extinguished.

"Oh great," Winry sighed.

"Do you have any spare light bulbs?" Edward asked from within the darkness.

Winry didn't reply, because she was already blindly moving her way across the room towards a cupboard where a box of spare light bulbs lay. She was sure she knew her basement well enough, but that was not the case as she walked straight into Edward who hissed a curse under his breath.

"Sorry Ed, but I need to get over to that side of the room. Couldn't you stay still?" She said.

He grabbed her wrist as she tried to walk away. "It's alright, I'll get it," he murmured.

Winry tried to pull herself free from him but failed to and instead found herself moving across the room with Edward gripping her wrist.

"Ed, I know this basement better than you do – I practically live in here-" She said between clenched teeth.

He released his grip and let his hand fall. Puffing out her cheeks, Winry touched the cupboard and eventually found the handle and pulled it open, knocking Ed square in the nose. He swore again, but Winry felt no remorse. It was his stupid fault for being in the way in the first place. She rummaged around and eventually her fingers closed around a light bulb.

"Right, I've got one," she muttered, carefully moving backwards and shutting the cupboard. She almost screamed when she walked backwards into Edward.

"Quit trying to kill me!" he exclaimed, breathing down her neck again. Winry didn't move, and was about to retort when she felt his hands on her back – one cool, the other blazing warm. He moved his hands up to her shoulders and then began to move them in a relaxing way. Winry felt her stomach buzz out of control when she realised that he was giving her a massage. "You just need to...relax and unwind," Edward sighed. After a moment, his hands reluctantly left her skin.

"Don't stop," Winry whispered, her eyes closed.

There was a long stretch of silence and for that moment, nothing happened. Winry turned around, only to be encircled by Edward's arms, although it was clumsy because neither of them could see where the other was. She felt the flutter of Edward's breath on her face, and her heart quickened when she felt his nose lightly touch her own. They had never been this close before. She reached out and placed a gentle hand on his face, in which she could feel him smile.

"I'm an idiot," he mumbled.

Winry smiled. "I know you are. You always have been. But then I am one too," she chuckled darkly.

The scraping of chairs from the floor above and the noise being made in the kitchen made Winry realise just how long they had been in each other's company. Relutantly, Winry began to pull away.

"Dinner will be ready soon. I guess I can change this light tomorrow in the small amount of daylight this room receives," she said quietly. Eventually his arms relaxed and they stepped away from each other.

A small pool of light entered the room by the stairs where Al's voice could be heard. "Winry? Re you in here?" he called.

Winry did not dare look at Edward, and she moved towards the stairs. She looked up at Al's gaunt face that had amusement in his eyes.

"Hey, Al. Is there something you need?" She asked politely.

"Yeah, I think dinner's nearly ready, and Granny needs some help dishing up...also have you seen Ed?" he asked.

Winry tried to ignore the blush that was threatening to appear on her cheeks and opened her mouth to reply but Edward got there first.

"I'm here, Al," he said, coming into the light. Winry noticed that he now had a somewhat 'tougher' stance about him. None of that gentleness he had shown her moments ago.

"Oh, what are you doing down there? Hang on...why are the lights off?" Al's young face looked between the two of them. "Oh no...Ed if Granny finds out that you've-"

"Al, you've got the wrong idea-" Edward began.

"Yes, Al, you have because-" Winry attempted.

"The bulb. The light bulb went out just moments ago and we were trying to find the stairs-" Edward continued.

"Yep, that's right. Good job you came along Al, otherwise it would have taken a while to find the exit and some light!" Winry laughed, and so did Edward.

Al remained unconvinced. "Oh really? And what should happen if I tell Granny Pinako that you two were _alone_ together in the dark? Surely there is a torch down there?" He enquired.

Winry began to make her way upstairs, mentally cursing to herself. Of course! There was a torch down there somewhere...why didn't she think of that? But then again, Edward had been completely different without the lights on. Was he that insecure? Winry stole a glance at him as they made their way into the dining room. He looked completely non-pulsed and normal, and was about to crack a joke to his brother. Perhaps seeing something in the light is worse than hearing it in the dark.


	4. Dark

A gasp, a breath, a sigh.

Winry's blue eyes snapped open in the darkness of the cold room, making her catch a sharp intake of breath. She didn't like the silence that surrounded her, especially with the extra blanket of the dark. She had always been a little scared of the dark and the shadows that danced on her black walls, so she wrapped her duvet tighter around her, urging the bumps on her skin to fall and her body to warm up. After a few more turns in the dark, she sat up in her bed, crossed her legs and enveloped herself in her duvet, pulling it on top of her head too, leaving only her face uncovered. She had been sleeping better recently due to the new arrivals home, but the tension was becoming almost unbearable and her emotions were threatening to break her usually calm composure.

Winry's room was shrouded in the dark with one tiny stream of light slicing though the darkness from the window where the watchful moon hung. Her eyes followed the light on the floor where they rested on the closed door that had garments hanging off it. She squinted to see the clothes in the dim light and realised something that made her body jerk slightly. One of the garments was her mechanic jumpsuit and the other was a crimson coloured coat with a ripped sleeve. She frowned and slumped back down onto her bed and rolled over; refusing to let those thoughts take control again.

Her mind however, protested at her dismissal. She pulled the duvet cover over her head so that she was completely covered underneath the soft covers, her breath making the material move slightly above her face. She was unable to see anything, although she moved her right hand in front of her face and frowned at it in the gloom. She remembered things as she lay: the way in which he hesitated, the way his eyes lit up when she laughed or smiled. He was finding the best ways to distract her, and Winry could swear that he was doing this on purpose.

Earlier on that day, Winry had taken a break from her work and made some fresh lemonade, for summer was approaching and already the air in Resembool was heating up. She had poured four glasses. She gave one to her grandmother in the living room and then found the brothers outside. Alphonse was sitting in a wheelchair listening carefully to his brother explain some new fighting tactics and watching him train. Winry halted on the door step and let herself watch for a moment.

There were two things that entered her mind when she saw Edward training outside the house. Firstly, she always got annoyed because he would usually transmute his new automail to fight with, which messed with her designs. But over the past few days that hadn't bothered her that much. Instead she found herself watching him, and watching him closely. She blushed thinking about it now: the way his shoulder muscles tightened when he did a backwards flip using his flesh arm, and the way his strong stomach gulped in air after a hard train.

Winry had shaken her head, kept her head low and made her way towards him and thrust out the glass of lemonade. He thanked her and drank it straight away. For reasons she didn't want to know, Winry couldn't help but watch him gulp down the cool liquid, and things only got worse for her present situation when a trickle of sweat ran down his neck...

Her mind was suddenly interrupted when she heard a creak on the landing. Her breath caught in her throat when realisation suddenly hit her. She made a noise of disbelief when she heard the footsteps stop outside her door. The steps had been limping slightly. Jumping out of bed and throwing her duvet on the floor, she pulled the door open to find a very shocked pair of amber eyes.

They stood staring at each other in silence, Edward's mouth slightly open as if he was about to speak but had lost his trail of thought; his features on his face highlighted subtly, by the glowing moonlit hallway and one hand raised in the air that was about to knock on her door. He wore some black shorts and a white vest shirt and seemed a little conscious about his appearance, even though his hair was tied back in a loose pony tail around his shoulders and was slightly messy from sleep – or a lack of it.

Winry's mouth was drawn in a firm line as she looked at him, her eyes narrowed as they refused to break the eye contact. "Your steps....they're off balance because of your arm..." she hissed.

He looked a little relieved and Winry had to wonder for a moment whether this was the real reason as to why he was stood outside her door. "Could you take a look please?" he whispered back, breaking their eye contact and staring at the floorboards.

She nodded and held the door open, motioning for him to enter. He silently walked into the darkness and Winry closed the door behind her, her back to the room. As her hand left the door handle, it brushed the crimson coat that hung on the back of the door. She pulled her hand away a little too quickly and turned on her heel, heading towards her desk where a few tools were scattered. Even though she could not see anything, she felt around for the right equipment and collected them together, feeling her way to her bed. She sat down and laid out her tools beside her before turning to the young man who appeared to have been swallowed by the darkness.

"Do you want me to lie down or sit up? Do you want me to put the light on? You're not going to be able to see anything…" Edward muttered.

"No, don't worry about it. Granny would probably see the light and come and check on me," she lied. The real reason burned in her heart, making her momentarily loose her cool. "And you can sit up if you want; I just need you to rest your arm on your leg so I can have a quick look". When Edward was comfortable, she muttered "what sort of mechanic would I be if I don't know my own work inside out?"

Winry kneeled down on her soft bed next to him and felt her way inside his automail arm, feeling that a barrel was slightly dislodged. Edward remained perfectly still as her fingers felt their way around the automail.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled.

She paused for a moment before she continued. "For what?" she replied softly, her hands lightly running up and down the metal arm. She now felt her way around the port.

"I…I broke my promise," he whispered hoarsely.

Winry sighed. "I doubt it's your fault, Ed. I guess this was the price you had to pay to get Al's body back, right?"

Edward stared at the shadowy figure he could only just see in the darkness. "Yeah…how did you know?"

A smile tugged on her lips. "You know me, Ed: unpredictable as usual…taking a leaf out of your book," she replied jokingly as she configured some wiring. "I just wish you had talked to me about this before, but never mind."

He sighed, and glanced up at the dark ceiling. "It's a small price to pay really. Al got his body back; just like I had promised him and besides, automail isn't that bad…it always gave me a chance to see you…"

There was a sudden silence as Winry stopped working as she tried to comprehend what he had just said. "Oh really?" she said lightly, her voice slightly strained as she searched for a screwdriver. Here Edward was again; completely different under the shadows of the darkness. Her hands shook a little as she completed the finishing touches to his arm. Edward remained silent, which made Winry's heart sink slightly. "Well, it's done. I would like to have another look at it tomorrow just to double check and make sure that the measurements are correct and also I need to update my new prototype so that your balance is better, but you should feel the difference for now," she muttered, pulling off her gloves and running her hand up and down the arm to make sure no parts were left open. Her hands stayed by the port, and the tips if her fingers lightly touched the rough scars on his skin where flesh and metal connected.

Pulling her hands away, Winry began to put her tools back on her dresser and stood up, stretching slightly. She was already having ides about how the next design for his arm would look and was tempted to get out a roll of planning paper from beneath her bed. She shook her head, and sat down on the end of the bed, suddenly feeling tired with her mind processing too many thoughts than were possible.

"Thanks Winry," he mumbled.

She turned and smiled feeling self-conscious even though she was sure he couldn't see her in the dark. She stood for a little while as Edward sat on her bed, and she wondered what to do next. She could just about see him with the aid of the light from the moon, but is face was mainly in shadow. Through the darkness, she watched him put his shirt back on and then become still again. She gingerly moved to her bed and sat down next to him, and hugged her legs which were cold.

"I'm glad you're back...even if it is just for your automail," Winry mumbled into her knees.

"It's good to be back. But I didn't come back for automail, Win," he replied quietly.

He hadn't called her 'Win' for quite a while. Winry turned to look at him to find him looking straight back at her. This time he did not look away and break their eye contact. Winry noted that she had to look up at him slightly and felt herself look at him in disbelief when she instinctively leaned in, and he did the same. There was hesitation. Winry's eyes were fixed on that mouth of his and how his lips looked so soft. How she wanted to taste him. She looked up at him and found him looking between her eyes and her mouth.

"Fuck it," he mumbled, his lips lightly touching hers, his flesh hand reaching up to her face. Winry, uncertain at first, found herself kissing him back, her kneels falling, her body relaxing. They pulled apart and looked at each other, and Winry was pleased to see that he was blushing as much as she was. Panting a little she kneeled on the bed and kissed him again, wrapping her arms around his neck, Edward replying by wrapping his automail arm around her thin waist, while his other hand got lost in her long hair.

"Do you have any idea how long I've wanted to do that?" He breathed kissing her face.

" _You_?" Winry gasped, half annoyed and half in pleasure as he started to plant passionate kisses down her neck. "I've been waiting so much longer, you idiot."

He stopped and looked at her. "You have?"

Winry rolled her eyes and kissed him gently on the mouth, feeling her body move closer to his as she deepened the kiss. He responded by pushing her gently down onto the bed, so that he was half lying on top of her. Winry's hands traced along his broad shoulders and down his toned back though his thin shirt. It was hard for her to believe that this was Edward Elric, her Ed, who was never close enough to touch. Now he was here, on top of her and kissing her, even though their lips had never met before. He had always had an effect on her, but now a new sensation was taking over her, one in which she also felt in between her legs.

Lost in each other's senses, neither of them noticed the creaking floorboards outside of Winry's room.

The door flew open, but again, neither of them noticed until the person standing in the doorway started to yell.

"EDWARD ELRIC!"

Winry and Edward both froze. There were a few shocked looks between them and Edward wasn't moving. "Get off Ed," Winry mumbled, pushing his chest. He jumped off her and stared at the figure in the door.

"YOU WILL NOT, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, MOLEST MY GRANDAUGHTER!" Pinako screeched, her glasses halfway down her nose and her tartan dressing gown wrapped tightly around her.

"I wasn't-" Edward began.

Pinako pointed at the door. "Get out now! Winry; learn to lock your door!"

Al appeared from behind Pinako. "Seriously, Ed, I thought you had gone missing when I woke, so I got Granny..."

Winry clenched her jaw. Al was just that little bit too innocent and naive to understand. Edward walked out of the room and stood behind his brother, looking back into the room. He smiled and winked at Winry. She smiled back but quickly wiped it off her face when she saw her grandmother glaring at her. "Edward..." Pinako warned, and with that Edward ran down the hall way, dragging his younger brother with him.

Winry was absolutely petrified. It was just her and her grandmother now. She hated seeing her grandmother angry, and she knew that this was something to be angry about.

"Winry....not in my own house, _please_ ," she sighed. "I've been waiting to see something from you two for a while now but I never expected this so...sudden."

Winry frowned. "What does that mean ' _I've been waiting a long time_ '?"

Pinako clicked her tongue. "That means that you two have been unknowingly in love with each other since you were fourteen!" She turned on her heel and exited the room. Pausing, she looked back. "Not in my house!" and then went back to her room. Winry ran over to her door and reluctantly locked it.

Exhaling, Winry collapsed on her bed, no longer feeling the chill. She sighed; it had all been over too quickly... much too quickly. Winry slowly lay back down and faced the ceiling, smiling slightly for she knew that she would never be scared or intimidated by the dark ever again.


	5. Seeking Solace

Edward and Alphonse had been home for nearly two months and summer knocking on the door. Much to Edward, Winry and Pinako's joy, Al had slowly been getting his strength back and eating an abundance of food. Along with Edward, Al had kept asking Winry to make some more of her delicious apple pies. However, her workload from Rush Valley became so intense that she couldn't find the time to make him pies anymore and hadn't baked one for about three weeks. The brothers were astounded how famous and well known she had become in the automail industry as numerous new orders would arrive in the post, and her clients were so desperate to see her, that a large majority of them had even travelled out to her home to receive specialist treatment.

Doing everything they could, Edward and Alphonse had been on call to aid Winry with gathering equipment, doing extra chores for her and assisting her with her clients (with Al being especially interested in the surgical side of the automail). Even though Winry was pouring her energy into her creations, she still remained happy yet hesitant. Edward noticed her hair was slightly dull and not the glossy shiny blonde it usually was, and he also noticed that there were shadows under her eyes as he glanced at her whilst they were having dinner one night.

They had been forced apart over the last month by Pinako and Al. Obviously those two had been exchanging words, and now neither Edward nor Winry could find the time to talk to each other alone. Pinako was watching over Winry's shoulder as she made her automail and Al tried to keep Edward busy by training with him every day. This frustrated Edward greatly, and the only chance he got to see Winry was at dinnertime. Surely he had been kept apart from her long enough over the past few years?

A new customer had arrived at the Rockbell house and wanted to be fitted with automail for the first time, and Winry had requested for Edward and Al to help out with this one and Pinako had thoughtfully agreed. Winry was in the process of attaching a left arm to a man that had lost his own in a land mine a few years ago, and was attaching some of the cables to his nerves. Al was standing nearby and Winry spoke quietly to him over her shoulder, telling him exactly what she was doing and which nerves she was attaching first. Pinako was standing by the work desk as she collected wires together and was merely Winry's assistant because Winry's skills had far surpassed her own. Edward stood in the corner of the room, passing equipment over to Winry if she asked for it, but other than that, he was there to keep the patient amused, much to his displeasure.

The dark haired man smiled uneasily under the bright white lights. "So you're Edward Elric, huh? Nice to meet you," he said, beads of sweat clinging to his pale forehead. Edward nodded politely, his mouth set in a grim line as he watched Winry attach nerves. The man let out a yelp of pain as Winry attached another one, making Ed turn away slightly as he remembered the pain all too well.

"Ed? Can you pass me those pliers please?" Winry called in-between her mutterings with Al.

Edward turned to another work table behind him and grabbed a pair and passed them to her. Winry looked up, her eyes narrowed in concentration and her mouth in a firm line as she focused on her work. She turned and took the pliers from Edward, her hand brushing his fleshy left hand, making her stop for a second. A slight blush crept upon her cheeks and a smile tugged at her lips but Edward was sure he had imagined it, after Pinako cleared her throat and the smile was gone as quickly as it came and she was already focusing on the next part of the surgical procedure.

There was silence as the work continued and Ed felt trapped by the tense air that surrounded him. The room reminded him of when he had first had his automail put on and it made him feel slightly queasy. He took a deep breath and began to compose himself, until the man screamed terribly as the procedure reached the half-way point.

When the man spoke, his voice was shaky and made everybody look at him in surprise. "You know, I heard the Fullmetal Alchemist was a short guy, you know, a shrimp-"

A vein on Edward's forehead pulsed slightly, as he shut his eyes and tried to control his anger.

"So you can't be him because you're not shot enough, and you're not really a kid, are you?" he continued, his eyes squeezed tight in pain as Winry continued with her work, a slight grin on her face.

"Don't worry Mr. Collins: that is the famous Fullmetal, he's just finally got taller…" she smiled, her blue eyes flashing towards Edward before concentrating again on her work.

Edward straightened remembering that he was indeed taller, although his younger brother was had now exceeded him in height his regular body, and he wasn't even up to full health yet. A phone rang out in the hallway making Ed loose his trail of thoughts, and Pinako quietly left the room, a little smile on her face too.

They heard a few muffled exchanged words as Pinako spoke into the receiver and when her voice rose, Winry paused with her work and they all stared at the door except the patient who remained still with a face carved in pain and anticipation. Finally, Pinako returned and silently motioned for Ed to follow her; "The phone is for you, Ed," she hissed between her teeth. Edward shrugged and left the room, glancing at Winry as he quietly closed the door behind him.

He walked into the main sitting room and saw the receiver lying on a table backed against the wall. He went over and leaned against the wall. "Edward," he said in a bored tone.

"Hey, Fullmetal," was the reply on the other end.

Ed straightened slightly, "Colonel" he replied. "I take it you are out of hospital then? How is Lieutenant Hawkeye?" he asked casually.

"She is doing much better now and she should be discharged from the hospital tomorrow. I was discharged three days ago-"

"And your sight?" Edward asked swiftly.

"Slowly returning. Now I am back to work today, which is the reason why I am calling you..."

Edward held the phone to his other ear, an unpleasant frown on his face as he listened into the receiver. "You need to continue your duties as a State Alchemist, you have an alchemy certification renewal assessment coming up, and you need to provide a testimonial to the newly formed Council. Oh, and I have a job for you, as well as a promotion-"

"You _what_?" Ed yelled, his eyes widening, the table wobbling beneath him slightly.

"Ed! Please keep it down! We have Mr Collins here, remember?" Pinako called from the other end of the house.

Controlling himself, Edward reluctantly put his ear to the receiver again.

"I said I have a promotion for you-" Mustang replied calmly at the other end.

"Not that you idiot!" he sighed, closing his eyes and rubbing his temple with his free hand as he leaned heavier against the table. "You want me to come to Central? I don't want to do this State Alchemist crap anymore: I've only just got here and it has been quite nice _relaxing_ for a change. Forget it Mustang – I'll come for the testimonial and any official things that need doing but I am not working for the State again; I quit," Edward spat, his anger rising.

"Oh really? And what were you planning to do? The State's allowance that you received over the years won't last you for more than three years, if that," Mustang replied, his deep voice as calm as ever.

Edward shrugged. "I was thinking of becoming a researcher and maybe teach a bit of alchemy..."

"I see. Well you know Ed; State Alchemists have the best research facilities in the country and the most resources available to them...stay and work for the military and that will all be available to you-"

"You wank-"

"Ed!" a female voice cut him off. Ed stopped and saw Winry standing in the doorway, her hair tied back into a low knot at the base of her neck, and her surgical gown sleeves rolled up to her elbows, revealing latex gloves spotted with grease and blood.

Sighing and closing his eyes, he muttered into the phone; "fine you bastard. I'll get the first train to Central tomorrow and don't forget that I saved your ass three months ago, you arsehole," and with that he threw the phone into its tray and ran his hands though his hair, making the hair tie come undone slightly. He rubbed his temples again and then opened his eyes remembering that Winry was stood there. They stood in silence for a moment.

Winry cleared her throat. "Central, huh?" she said quietly, her eyes looking around the room, stubbornly avoiding Edward's.

Edward sucked in some air, moving towards her. "Yeah, that bastard Colonel is making me go there – Sate duties and all that," he replied reluctantly.

"You only just got here, but I guess it wouldn't be that long before they called you back," she shrugged, slumping against one of the sofas in the room.

"I'm really sorry, Winry. I was planning on leaving the military but there are a few things I need to sort out", he said awkwardly, scratching the back of his head, watching her.

Winry stared at the floor with her arms loosely crossed. "I guess you had better go and pack then..." she sighed, straightening up.

Edward nodded but then he found himself surrounded by an uncomfortable silence that appeared to stretch and drag. He coughed, "was there something you wanted to tell me?" he asked, realising that she was still dressed in her theatre clothing.

"Only that you should keep your voice and watch your language down because it won't be very comfortable for Mr-" she gasped. "Oh _shit_! Mr Collins! I've got to finish his surgery!" she cursed, her face flushing. Edward grabbed her wrist and spun her round. She began to call out but he silenced her with a kiss. "You're grandmother and my brother are really annoying me," he mumbled.

She smiled sheepishly, and pecked him on the mouth before running out of the room, her long hair swishing behind her. Edward smiled slightly at her sudden drop of composure and headed upstairs, preparing to pack.

*

Edward commuted to Central the next day and returned a few days later with a blue military uniform and an abundance of books in his arms. He arrived to a dark and silent house and proceeded straight to bed, dumping his books and paperwork on the kitchen table.

Winry heard him climb the stairs and secretly hoped he would stick his head in through the door, but instead he marched sleepily to the room he was sharing with Al and closed it silently behind him. Winry rolled over and went back to sleep, only to wake early the next morning so she could make breakfast with her grandmother.

She pulled some shorts on and a baggy yet comfortable shirt and headed downstairs, hearing her grandmother pottering about in the kitchen. They said good morning to each other and made breakfast together, Winry still drowsy from a minimal amount of sleep. He grandmother turned to set the kitchen table when she saw the stacks of books, paperwork and uniform. She picked up an envelope on the table that had been opened, with a piece of paper half falling out. She peered through her glasses and scanned the letter which was encrusted with gold.

After a few moments, she interrupted Winry as she fried some eggs. "Winry dear, have you seen this?" she asked.

Winry turned and was slightly shocked to see the mess on the table, especially the military uniform. "What is it?" she asked.

Pinako smiled a little. "Edward has been promoted: to Colonel..."

Winry went over and snatched the gold leaf paper out of her grandmother's hands, hardly daring to believe what she was reading. " _As from immediate effect, Fullmetal Alchemist Major Edward Elric will be known as Fullmetal Alchemist Colonel Edward Elric, by order of Furher Roy Mustang due to his outstanding services to the State and Central City.._." Winry read out loud. She dropped the letter, which fell swiftly to the floor and gasped, exchanging an equally surprised expression with her grandmother. The floorboards upstairs creaked, informing them that the brothers were awake and would be down at any moment. Winry picked the letter up and put it back on the table, and continued to fry the eggs as her grandmother poured some tea.

Breakfast was eaten in silence and Winry saw that Edward was tired with bags under his eyes. She took a sip of her tea. "So how was Central?" she asked casually, feeling her grandmother's eyes flick to her.

Edward swallowed a piece of bacon and took a large gulp of orange juice. "Recovering well after what happened and now Mustang has got what he wanted, so everything is fine and dandy," he replied sarcastically, rolling his eyes and glancing at the uniform lying on top of his boots. "Sorry about the mess I left last night: I was a bit knackered after the trip," he said apologetically to Pinako.

She said it was no problem. Winry waited for Edward to tell them of his news, but he continued to eat along with his brother who was eating incredibly quickly. Al took a big gulp of milk.

Winry smiled slightly. "So when were you going to tell us about your promotion?" she asked sweetly, returning to her breakfast.

Al choked slightly on his milk and turned to stare at his brother.

Edward glared at Winry. "How do you know?" he asked a little angrily, ignoring Al's coughing fit.

"We saw you letter left on the table, and it was hard to miss it," Pinako cut in swiftly.

Al finally stopped coughing and stared at his brother. "You got promoted? Well done, brother!" he said, thumping him lightly on the back.

"Yes, congratulations Colonel Elric," Winry muttered with a smirk on her face. Edward's cheeks warmed slightly but he ignored it.

*

Winry's patients had filled up the house and also the small local hotel. She would work early in the morning, usually being up at the crack of dawn, and not retiring to bed until the early hours of the next morning. And then her busy schedule would start again, as she worked on new designs and inventions to help her patients as well as treat them.

Edward locked himself in a free downstairs room with the books he had brought back from Central. He would be in there all day, only emerging for meals, but sometimes he skipped them, just like Winry and it would just be Al and Pinako sat at the table in the evening eating simple meals and exchanging in polite conversation.

Al walked into Winry's work room one evening to find her asleep across her work desk. She woke up suddenly when she heard the door open and yelled at Al for disturbing her work. Al quickly closed the door behind him and headed to the room where Edward was working. He pushed it open slightly, and saw Edward hunched over the desk, his pen scratching away as he wrote down notes and theories. He was surrounded by hardback books, some of which littered the floor of the dark room, where only one candle was lit. He looked up when he saw a beam of light and a figure obscuring it.

"Al, I would really appreciate it if you could just leave me be for another hour or so, okay? I think I've come up with something here..." he trailed off and continued to write. Al sighed and closed the door, and headed to bed.

He woke up early the next morning to find the sunlight streaming in through the curtains and right into his eyes. Blinking, he stretched and pulled some clothes on only to realise that his brother's bed was empty. Cursing a little, Al ran a few fingers through his hair and muttered "He better not have slept in that damn study again..." He walked downstairs to hear absolute silence. Curiously, he found the kitchen empty as well as the dining room. He walked into the living room and stopped in his tracks as he looked at the sofa.

Edward was lying on his back with his head resting on the armrest of the deep red sofa – his flesh foot and one hand dangling off the sofa and a thick alchemy book resting over his face surrounded by golden blonde hair that was in a loose ponytail. What surprised Al the most was the other sleeping figure who was lying in between Edward's legs, resting on his chest, still in her mechanic jumpsuit. Her feet were tucked up slightly and her left hand hung casually on top of Edward's dangling arm. Her mouth was open slightly, and Al could hear her deep breathing and then he noticed the slight grin on Edward's face.

Unsure if he was awake, Al silently stepped backwards and went into the dining room, heading towards a unit with draws and cupboards. He quietly slid one of the draws open and pulled out the camera he knew was there. He crept back into the sitting room and quickly took a picture, chuckling to himself as he did so.

*

Winry woke up with a stiff neck and opened her eyes to find a very warm body around her. She sat up abruptly feeling her face heat up and accidently nudged Edward's leg, which made him wake up also. He sat up quickly too and felt a piece of paper drop off him. They looked at each other and peered over the sofa and saw a small piece of paper on the wooden floor. Edward reached down and picked it up and Winry ran her fingers though her hair and straightened her bandana.

Edward remained still as he looked at what he has picked up. Winry frowned, "what is it?" she whispered. He didn't answer, but jumped to his feet, the piece of paper falling to the sofa.

"I am going to _kill_ him!" Edward yelled and ran out of the room, leaving Winry confused. She looked at the piece of paper which had the words ' _Ed and Winry:_ _seeking solace with each other_ ' written on the back. Her eyes widened and quickly turned it over to a reveal a black and white photograph that made her face turn as read as sofa she was sitting on.

"Ed! Wait for me!" she cried jumping to her feet and tucking the photograph into her back pocket. "I am going to throw my biggest wrench at that sneak!" she yelled, her voice shaking slightly.


	6. Break Away

It wasn't long before the military called for Edward again. He had been doing continuous research for the development of alchemic use in the army; a job the Furher had given him personally. He hated leaving Winry and his brother but his duty called to him, so he reluctantly booked a train for the next day.

When he woke up, it was still dark, considering summer was just on the horizon. He climbed out bed silently making sure not to wake his brother, who was wrapped up in the blankets on the opposite bed. He pulled open the wardrobe and reluctantly got out his military uniform. He lay it down on his bed and then went for a quick shower. He dressed quickly, hating how stiff the collar was, and tugged at it as he went briskly down the stairs, a suitcase in his other hand. He placed it down on the kitchen table, still tugging at his collar, and stared at the black boots he was wearing as he headed towards the fridge. A movement behind him made him turn on his heel.

Winry was standing in the kitchen in her usual baggy white shirt and black shorts, and had just picked the kettle up and poured water into it. "Morning, Ed. Would you like some tea before you go?" she asked, placing the kettle on the hob, not looking up.

Edward stared at her dumbly, seriously wishing he didn't have to go as he looked at her up and down. He shook his head and leaned against the counter, "I can't, my train arrives in ten minutes, but thanks anyway," he replied, glancing at the clock on the wall. "Did I wake you up?" he asked, pulling at his collar.

"Not really, I had been up for a while but I came down not that long ago...and I am sure I am allowed to see you off" she replied, glancing up at the ceiling, motioning her grandmother. Winry turned to look at him, and a smirk crept upon her face.

Edward noticed, a tinge of irritation hitting him. "What is it?" he asked, continuing to pull at his collar. She smiled and shook her head a little and then noticed Edward's collar. Her sharp blue eyes narrowed and she stepped forward and slapped his hands away. Edward stared at her dumbfound, slightly unsure what she was doing.

"You're going to mess up your collar if you keep doing that," she said between her teeth, straightening his collar for him. Edward pulled a face but then realised how close they were again and treasured the moment. Times like these were hard to come by because of Pinako. He watched her frown a little as she lightly brushed down his shoulders with her hands, her eyes glancing at the stars on top. "There; now you look like a proper and respectable Colonel," Winry joked, her hands falling slowly to her sides and her eyes slightly distant. What he would give to know what she was thinking. Suddenly, she jerked slightly, "Oh! I just remembered: I made you some food to take with you on the train. It's cheaper than buying the expensive rubbish on those carts..." she turned away and opened a cupboard, pulling out a brown paper bag. Blushing slightly, she passed it to Edward, who took it with a toothy grin.

"You didn't have to do that Winry," he said, peering inside the bag where a sandwich and an apple lay.

She smiled back and ran her fingers though her hair. "Don't worry about it!" she laughed and then glanced at the clock on the wall. "Ed: your train..."

He span on his heel and stared at the clock, realising he only had seven minutes to run to the station and catch his train. He picked up his suitcase with his free hand and headed towards the door. Winry ran forward and opened it for him and he thanked her. She touched his hand and he turned and leaned down a little and kissed her, making sure he could remember her taste. They both hesitated as their eyes met, when he pulled apart.

"I'll be back soon, alright?" he said, kissing her one more time before running out of the door and even though he was reluctant to leave, Edward found his legs carrying him forward. She smiled in return and then stood in the doorway, watching his figure move quickly down the road.

*

Edward returned to the yellow house late afternoon about a week later. Winry and Al were on the field, throwing a Frisbee at each other, with Den running wildly between them, trying to catch the disc as it flew through the air. Edward walked up the path and looked at his brother who was laughing hysterically as Den jumped in the hair and amazing caught it. Al's body was pretty much healthy, and he had begun to train his body like he and Edward used to with their Teacher, Izumi.

Den ran with the Frisbee in her mouth towards a young woman who was wearing denim shorts and a white vest top. She kneeled down to take the Frisbee off Den, and laughed when the dog resisted. She scratched the back of his head and then managed to throw the Frisbee over to Al, who caught it off guard. Winry smiled and then looked casually around and saw Edward coming up the path. She smiled broadly and waved at him.

Edward felt his stomach drop with guilt but ignored it and waved back, feeling incredibly warm in his thick military uniform. Edward dumped his suitcase just inside the door and took off his military jacket, revealing a black vest shirt. He came out to join his brother and Winry, ignoring the issue that was on his mind.

At dinner, Edward decided to tell everybody what was bothering him, and the way he was going to break the news was something that had been irritating him since he was told. He knew he had to share it with them and so said it bluntly.

"I've been put second in command at Southern Headquarters" he said suddenly and unexpectedly, as he played with the food on his plate. Winry looked up quickly and gulped, whilst Al and Pinako abruptly ended their light conversation to look at him.

There was complete silence, except the scraping of Edward's fork as it danced around the place with a half-eaten potato on the end. Al broke the tense silence, "Congratulations! But where are you going to live?" he asked quietly. Winry exchanged a glance with him and Edward felt even worse now – he didn't want to leave these two people behind.

"I can stay at the accommodation they have there...hopefully get a place of my own once my pay check comes though," he sighed, stabbing the potato with his fork.

"Well, I can come and visit you then," Winry said, making Edward look up. She smiled, "I need to go back to Rush Valley and finish my apprenticeship with Garfiel. I have been saving up my money for some time, so I can buy a store of my own. That's if you don't mind me coming to visit of course!" She laughed and turned to Al. "If you're not planning on doing anything for the moment, you could come and stay with me, because there is a free room at my lodgings with Garfiel," she said, getting up to clear the plates.

Al nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, if that's ok. I heard there's a good school there and then I can visit you too Ed!" he smiled.

Edward got up too to help Winry clear the table and suddenly felt like a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He turned to Pinako, suddenly a little hesitant. "What about you? Will you be alright here?"

Pinako snorted into her pipe. "Of course I will Ed. I was wondering when you lot was going to bugger off: this is my house after all!" she joked.

Edward and Winry headed off into the kitchen, Pinako's eyes following them, and began the washing up. "You know it will be good for us," Winry said as she washed the dishes carefully in the soapy water. "To break away from this small town, but..." she trailed off and fell into silence.

Edward grabbed a cloth and began to dry some cutlery. He frowned, "but what?" he asked.

She sighed, "I guess I will miss this house and this village, that's all. This is my home-"

"Maybe it's time to find a new one," Edward said without thinking. He was getting ahead of himself there.

Winry glanced at him and smiled. "I know what you mean – I want to become somebody and leave this slow life behind – the rush does suite me," she smiled.

He nodded and moved towards her by the sink. They continued to do the washing up in silence. He was half tempted to spin her around and kiss her again, but he knew that Pinako was nearby. Instead he just pecked her on the head.

*

They packed their belongings together and took a train a few days later. Pinako waved them off at the train station, and gave an extra long hug to Winry and then muttered to Edward "take care of her otherwise you will be in even more trouble," she said, her glasses flashing. Edward smiled weakly and climbed onto the train with the Al and Winry. The train journey was a long one, with three interchanges at stations. When the train arrived at Rush Valley, Edward reluctantly got to his feet and gave Winry and Al their belongings from the top rail. He walked them to the carriage door and they exchanged their goodbyes. He clasped Al on the shoulder and wished him luck at school and then said goodbye to Winry. It had to be brief, so he hugged her and kissed her forehead, aware that his younger brother was watching. She hugged him back, and then pulled away squeezing his hand slightly. The climbed onto the platform and Edward closed the carriage door closed behind them. He leaned out of the window with a piece of paper in his hand and motioned for Winry to take it.

"It's my new office number, so you two can call me whenever, alright? I'll let you know my room's phone number when I get it," he smiled slightly as Winry took the piece of paper and felt something shoot inside him as her fingers brushed his again.

They smiled and waved, and before he knew it, they were gone as the train pulled away. He continued to lean out the window long after Rush Valley was out of sight, feeling the wind through his hair. He hated goodbyes. He went back to his seat and struggled to control the unusual emotion inside him. Maybe breaking away from Winry and his brother was not such a good idea after all.

*

Edward had been at his new post for around a week sorting out new Alchemy tests and assessments, when the phone rang in his office. The windows were pushed wide open, and Edward had undone the buttons on his uniform to try and cool down in the south's summer heat.

"Elric," he answered formally, getting ready to grab a pen in case he had to scribble something down.

The military operator spoke, "there's a call on an outside line from Rush Valley..." she said.

Edward sat up in his chair. "Patch it though," he said, smiling eagerly.

"Hello?" a female voice said nervously though the phone.

"Winry? Is that you?" he asked, feeling a strange sensation in his stomach.

"Hi Ed! Geez, your operators are really grumpy for some reason...it's taken me ages to get through..."

They exchanged in polite conversation for a while. Winry was as busy as ever and needed to expand and set up her own custom for she no longer required her master's work anymore. Al had been to school and enjoyed it, although he was beginning to find it difficult to settle in because he wasn't interested in automail like the other students.

"So, I thought you were going to give us your phone number to the place you were staying?" Winry asked casually, trying to keep the bitterness out of her voice.

Edward smiled a huge grin into the phone, for this was the reason he had been so desperate for her to call.

"Yeah, well I was thinking about this whole distance thing, you know? To be honest I hate living in South City – too hot with too many people. I've been thinking it over and, to be honest, I need to break away from my work in South City, so I have bought a new place – in Dublith," he said, hardly controlling his excitement, even though he hadn't told her his biggest news.

"Dublith? Why the hell Dublith? That's going to be at least two hours commute every day on the train..." She said curiously.

Edward could almost see her frown down the phone. Now was the time to tell her. "Yeah I know, but it's easy access to both South City and Rush Valley – your patients won't have to travel too far now, will they? And I think you need to 'break away' from that hectic place anyway. I know you prefer the rush but you don't want to get over-worked."

There was a pause. "Edward, what are you saying?" she said slowly.

"Well my dear Winry, I have just bought, with my very big pay check, a large three-story house, where the ground floor was an old doctors surgery...you know Winry; Dublith needs automail mechanics..."

Winry gasped and Edward heard a loud bang, and pulled the phone away from his ear. After a moment or two, he cautiously listened, and heard nothing. "Winry? Are you still there?" he asked.

There was another gasp and then some scuffling noise and then a very high-pitched voice. "Um, yes! I just...err...dropped the phone..."

Edward laughed and felt the happiest he had been the whole week. He was pleased that he had finally made her speechless and began to explain the details and locations of the house to her. After a repetition of 'Thank-you's' and 'I can't believe you did this', they both had to go back to work, so they grudgingly said their goodbyes. Edward wondered around Southern Headquarters with a huge grin on his face that made other officers give him strange looks for the rest of the day, and looked forward towards the weekend when he would move into his new house with his family.


	7. Heaven

Winry stood in the summer heat with a bag over each shoulder and a suitcase in each hand. She stood outside a large three story building in the middle of a busy street and stared at the large, empty and blank windows. It was incredibly tall and the bricks were a lovely sandy colour and there were two windows on each floor. She saw a door to the side that said '503' on it, and snorted in disbelief that this was the right house she was looking for; even though she was sure it was this street and that '503' was the house number. She was just about to bite her tongue and bravely knock on the door, until a window from the upper floor was pushed open, and a young man leaned out with a cream rug in his hands. He flapped it against the stone, knocking dust off, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and his face screwed in slight concentration as he flapped it again. He looked down the street at chance and suddenly smiled when he saw Winry standing there completely dumbfound.

He laughed at her expression, "You look like you've seen a ghost, Win," he called, leaving the rug hanging in his hands. "It's open; come on up!" he inclined his head to the side where the side door was.

Winry nodded and headed towards the dull green door and pulled it open with great difficulty. She managed to close it behind her and headed up the narrow stairs that were there. She emerged in a small hallway and saw more stairs leading to the upper floor. She dumped her luggage down at the bottom of the next staircase and brushed herself down, and then walked into the main room.

It was an incredibly large room with light wooden flooring and tanned white walls that were screaming for some colour. A dirty green sofa was standing against the wall, with random pieces of junk laying on it. Edward was by the window and pulled the rug in. He saw her and smiled again, and lay the rug down in the middle of the room, already making the room feel more homely. "So what do you think of this place so far?" he asked his golden eyes glowing in amusement.

Winry stammered in shock. "What do I think…what do _I think_? I think it's just wonderful Ed!" she cried and without stopping herself, she flung her arms around him, making Edward's cheeks turn a different shade for a moment. They both laughed and she eventually pulled away, wiping a tear from her eye and a huge smile on her face.

"I can't believe you did this! This place must have cost so much…" she said, as she walked around the room, touching the walls, feeling the floorboards creak slightly as she walked.

"It wasn't that bad actually…not that It matters anyway, now that I am on a Colonel's salary," he smiled as Winry leaned out the window and took in the moderately busy street below. "C'mon: let me show you the rest of the house…" He said, taking hold of her hand.

There was a good sized kitchen, a small dining room, and a study on the same floor as the living room and then four bedrooms and a bathroom on the floor above. There was also a very large attic room that they climbed into with two small windows looking out to the back. Winry went to the window and peered out, shocked to see a large garden at the back with two big trees along with a view of a lake and an island. "Look at the views, Ed!" she gasped, pushing up the window, letting a waft of warm air pour in.

He leaned forward behind her and looked out too. "That's Yok Island, where Al and I did some of our training when we were younger," he smiled. He straightened and realised that there was a decent amount of headroom above him. "You know Win, if need be, we could turn this into two guest rooms for patients if you want," he thought out loud, making her look at him again, her eyes wide.

Winry clapped her hands together and smiled doing a slight squeal as she did so. He showed her around the rest of the house, and they discussed renovation plans, but Winry was itching to see the shop floor. Edward led her down and opened it up to reveal a large room where she could sell her latest models; a big L-shaped workshop at the back along with an office, operation room, W.C and a store room. Ideas buzzed around her head as she looked at every inch of it and began planning designs about how it was going to turn out.

Edward and Winry had discussed more plans as the morning progressed including who was going to get which room to sleep in (they had decided that Al could have one of the smaller bedrooms and turn the other bedroom into a guest room), and Edward had resigned and let Winry have the larger of the two biggest rooms. They had found two mattresses in the attic which Edward said he would fix until they bought some beds.

Alphonse called all a little later to find out when he could move from Rush Valley to Dublith. He was very eager to go to a school in Dublith, because it had a better reputation for other subjects and was more academic based, which suited Al fine. He said he could come by the end of the week, beginning of next, depending on when the school were going to let him go. He said his goodbyes quickly over the phone muttering he had to go to his next class, and expected Edward and Winry to pick him up at the train station in Dublith when he arrived. Edward and Winry both laughed down the phone and said their goodbyes, especially grateful that they both had a future planned and didn't need to go to school, and hadn't done for a while.

In the afternoon, Winry went for a walk around the town with some money Edward had forcefully given her. She had refused his money and insisted on using her own, but he was persistent and had sneaked a fair amount into her bag when she wasn't looking. She had clicked her tongue when she had discovered it, but continued to walk, looking at every shop window and stopping to look inside some shops, feeling incredibly warm in the heat considering she was wearing her favourite black skirt and cream stop with some sandals. Her mission on her walk was to get some food in for the house and also to buy some paint so that she could begin to decorate the shop floor and order the machinery she needed. Edward stayed back at the house and was fixing some dry walls and furniture that was left behind from the previous owners.

Winry found a baker shop where she picked up some fresh baguettes and a grocer where she found a delightful selection of locally grown produce. She walked down another street and came across a butcher's shop, simply called 'Meat'. With a brown paper bag in her arms she walked into the cool shop, a bell clicking behind her and saw a woman chopping meat behind the till point with her back to her.

She approached and took in the woman's appearance who hadn't noticed her yet. She had long dark hair that was tied behind her in dreadlocks and wore a white shirt dress underneath a cream apron she was wearing. Winry cleared her throat and the woman turned with a knife in her hand, making Winry flinch.

She smiled and put the knife down. "Hello there, what can I get for you?" she asked, brushing herself down, her hand lingering lightly on her abdomen.

Winry ordered some chicken and some pork whilst looking at the woman with her mind telling her that she had seen this woman before. Winry was about to hand over the money when suddenly the woman coughed. She put her hand in front of her mouth and turned away from Winry, but when she slowly pulled her hand away, there were specks of blood.

"Oh, are you okay?" Winry asked, dropping her bags and shopping. She moved behind the till and placed a calm hand on her back, for Winry was accustomed to seeing people cough up blood with the extremes of some automail surgery.

She coughed lightly and straightened. "Yes I am fine thank you," she smiled turning to her. "Honey!" she called tough the door behind her. "Could you take over for a second?" She took her apron off and hung it on a peg behind the counter, but something caught Winry's eye as she turned away – a symbol on her chest that she had seen before: it was an unusual design that was familiar to her because it had been hanging off a crimson red coat on the back of her bedroom door back in Resembool. A large man with a severe face but with gentle sincerity in his eyes finished packing Winry's purchases and then Winry left, her thoughts a little muddled.

She stopped by a paint shop on her way back and picked up two tins of paint – one cream and the other a cool, relaxing shade of pastel green. Winry returned to the house not long later and dropped off the paint in on the shop floor, and then carried the shopping into the house upstairs. "Ed! I'm back!" she called, walking into the main room. There was no answer, so she went into the kitchen and put all of the food in the cupboards and in the fridge. Sweat clung to her face in the heat, so she went into the main room and pulled the window open, sighing as a warm breeze flew around her and wiped her brow with a cloth. Returning to the kitchen, she found one of Edward's hair ties on the counter, and pulled her hair back from her face and eyes into a long pony tail. She grabbed a glass from an upper cupboard and poured herself a glass of cool water, resting it on her forehead, to help cool her down. Winry walked into the dining room, wondering where Edward was, when she peered out of the window and saw him lying in the shade under one of the trees with a book in his hands and concentration etched on his face. She smiled and headed out the back door though the workshop downstairs, her glass in her hand.

Edward looked up when he saw her and smiled as she stepped though the long grass that tickled around her bare ankles. He was momentarily distracted from his reading as she approached and for the first time, he looked at her honestly and felt his eyes trailing through her glossy hair as it shone in the sun and the way her body moved as she walked, her hips swinging slightly…

He shook his head and turned his attention back to his book on military alchemy, his eyes skimming the words but not taking them it at all, which wasn't helped when he felt her sit down next to him under the tree. It had just occurred to him that they were alone, and had been alone all day and now he felt nervous. Winry leaned against the tree trunk and closed her eyes and taking a sip of her cool water. Edward sat up a little and leant up against the tree too, their shoulders touching. "How was your trip to town then? Do you like Dublith?" he asked uncertainly.

She looked at her him and laughed. "I love it here, Ed! The people are so friendly and I saw quite a few people with replacement limbs who looked like they would need automail, which is a good sign…I got some paint for the shop floor and I got some food in too…I was thinking of making stew tonight, does that sounds good?" she asked, finishing her glass of water, placing it on the grass beside her.

Naturally, Edward thought it would clear his thoughts if he spoke to her, but that was not the case as he found himself watching her lips move when she spoke. He nodded at her and then, feeling like a coward, lay back down in the grass and put the book over his head, so he couldn't see her. He felt her move beside him and realised that Winry had lain down next to him. He lifted the book up off his head after a few minutes and peeped to see that she had her eyes closed and her hands folded on her stomach, a slight, peaceful smile on her face. He was sure she was asleep as her chest rose and fell slowly, until she suddenly spoke quietly, making Edward jerk and put the book back over his face to hide a cheeky blush that had sneakily crept onto his face.

"Ed…do you believe in heaven?" she asked. The question shocked him so much that the book slid off his face and he jerked again and looked down at her. After a moment he lay back down and left the book on the floor. His eyes searched the branches and leaves that hung above him and the bright blue sky that was creeping through, as if they would provide him with the debatable question Winry had just asked him.

"No," he answered honestly. He had seen hell, no doubt about that, but heaven was a completely different matter. He had seen the Truth, although that hadn't given the answers to everything such as what the next life would hold and what would happen after his life ended; but he knew that no heaven lay beyond that gate.

Winry glanced at him through sleepy blue eyes surrounded by think eyelashes. "I'm not sure, to be honest," she said quietly, picking grass with her fingers, and twirling one strand in front of her eyes, making them cross slightly. She frowned; "I like the concept of heaven and I want to believe it but I don't know if it's there..." she trailed off frowning.

Edward glanced at her and shifted uncomfortably. "Science still argues against it..."

Winry threw some grass at him and laughed. "Don't get all scientific on me, alchemy freak!" she joked, shooting him a cheeky grin. She lay back down after a moment and sighed, closing her eyes.

They remained in companionable silence for a while until Winry spoke very quietly and thoughtfully, like it had been playing on her mind. "What about metaphorically speaking? You know, as in feeling so happy it's heavenly," she said, her eyes still closed.

Edward sat up and leaned on his elbow looking down at her. The sun was creeping though the branches above and the light was speckled on her face, making her look incredibly calm and also beautiful. He smiled and leaned forward, suddenly deciding that he was ready to slowly admit his feelings in the daylight. "I would want the concept of heaven to be like this," he said quietly, making her open her eyes to see his amber ones right in front of her.

Every nerve and sense in his body told him to lean closer, his heart was thudding loudly in his ears. He leaned closer, his lips lightly touching hers, a balmy breeze catching between them. Winry reached up a little and placed a hand on his warm face, returning the kiss. After a moment, Edward became bolder and added more pressure and kissed her lips over and over again savouring the sweet vanilla taste of her mouth. He leaned down a little, his hands either side of her as if she were pinned and gently caressed her upper lip with his tongue. He was mildly surprised when he felt her do the same, as their tongues danced in each other's mouths. He ran a hand hesitantly down her body, marvelling in the different curves her felt there until he reached her thigh, where her skirt had hitched up a little revealing the edge of a pair of white panties.

Feeling the heat rise to his face he stopped and opened his eyes, noticing that Winry had one of her hands in his hair and the other one trailing down his back. Edward looked down at the girl who had flushed cheeks and pink lips and felt the same burning sensation inside him. He felt a fool for denying his feelings so long and yet it also pleased him that she appeared to be more into his human parts than his automail ones for a change.

"I like that conception of heaven, Ed," she whispered, a smile at the corners of her mouth and her breath brushing over his neck.

He leaned down and decided to be a bit braver, by letting his hand move up to her breast. She sighed in his mouth as his hand rested there and began to kiss down her neck. He remembered the first time he had done this back in Resembool around a month ago, and had missed the sweetness of her skin. He was very aware of her hands roaming his back and gasped when her warm hands began to caress his back underneath his shirt.

A sudden realisation of his manhood overcame Edward, making him stop abruptly. This was too quick; he didn't know what to do. Silently he cursed himself, as he had thought about this many times. Winry opened her eyes and looked up at him curiously.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

Edward took a deep breath and shook his head and leaned in to kiss her again. She replied hungrily, but Edward panicked and suddenly jumped to his feet, turning incredibly red. He scratched his head with his back to her, and then walked towards the house, calling "I'm going to start dinner, okay?" he said, his voice a little higher than usual.

He walked away, feeling completely stupid. He had to get out of that situation. It was stupid, he had dreamt of touching Winry for a long time, unsure whether it was the right thing or not. That had been his perfect opportunity to...

"Argh, shit!" he yelled as he climbed the stairs, banging his fist into the wall. For once nobody had walked in on them, although he had been aware of the houses nearby. He walked into the dining room and peeked outside the window. Winry was still sat underneath the tree, adjusting her clothing. Edward had a sudden urge to run back out there and rip of all of her clothes just to prove that he wasn't a coward. Winry was smiling under the tree and as Edward watched, she lay back down and touched her lips, her face flushed. She glanced up at the dining room window, her eyes locking with Edward's. He gulped and moved away, trying to calm his thoughts: a cold shower was needed.


	8. Innocence

The windows were wide open and so was every door in Southern Headquarters. Edward reclined on his chair in his stuffy office and put his feet up on the desk, his hands behind his head. He casually closed his eyes for it was too hot for him to do any paper work and pretended to rest, even though his mind relayed images back and forth in his head. He glanced at a photograph that sat neatly in a dark frame on his messy desk. The photograph hosted an old picture of him and Alphonse when they were much younger, sitting outside their old white house. His gaze moved to the image next to it which was in a slightly larger frame. Winry was standing outside the front of the new house in Dublith, an incredibly large smile on her face. Edward had taken it the day after she had arrived as she had insisted on the photograph being taken for keepsake purposes. What Winry didn't know however, was that Edward had gone to get the photograph developed for himself and had ended up keeping it and putting it on his desk.

He frowned and closed his eyes, grimacing at his own cowardice over the last week. At first Winry had found it amusing, but he could tell that her patience was wearing thin and the tension began to grow so much in the house; Edward felt relieved to go back to work a few days later. He began to think about his work and opened his eyes, moving towards his desk, and getting a pen in his left hand. He started to scribble away on one report a State Alchemist had made and scratched out several logical errors they had made at an equation. His thoughts turned to Mustang and how he must be laughing at him from his posh Furher's office as Edward continued with some of the work Mustang had done previously before his promotion. Riza Hawkeye came into his mind then and he privately wondered if Mustang had finally seen through her calm resolve to see that the woman cared for him more than any subordinate ever could. Unwillingly, his thoughts traced down another aisle of his memory: _"you love Winry, don't you?"_ Edward remembered Riza asking him that and cringed slightly as his reply came to the surface of his mind. He was younger back then, he couldn't see it: he just knew he had to protect her yet the reason had yet to be entirely justified at that circumstance. The self confession was reluctantly coming out...maybe if she asked him now; would he still be prepared to admit it?

A knock at his office door made him jump slightly and then, calming his features and controlling his thoughts, he cleared his throat, "come in," he called, pretending to be engrossed in paperwork.

A young major stepped in. "Sir, you have a guest waiting at reception," he said before closing the door behind him. Edward frowned and got up from his desk, heading towards reception.

He was pleasantly surprised when he saw that particular young woman, who had been playing on his mind, sat on a rigid waiting sofa in the cold reception hall. "Winry?" he said uncertainly, ignoring the muttering woman behind the desk.

She turned and looked at him, a small bag over her right shoulder. Winry stood up and went to meet him. "Hey Ed...I guess you have forgotten then..." she said as she approached him.

He made a confused face and then suddenly slapped his head, instantly remembering. "Oh right! You wanted to see the military's automail workshop here!"

Winry smiled and nodded. Edward went to the reception desk and picked up a base pass from the middle aged receptionist who looked at Winry with jealous eyes. They walked down a corridor together and Edward apologised repeatedly for forgetting that she was coming to visit him at work today. "...just with all of the work I've had, not to mention more work sent from Central-"

A cool hand touched his arm as they walked. "Ed: its fine. I know you've been busy. You don't talk very much and you're appetite isn't what it used to be – you think I wouldn't notice?" she smiled slightly, their footsteps echoing down the hall.

He smiled in response and continued to lead the way, up a flight of stairs and down another corridor. As they walked, Edward felt slightly uneasy of the glances Winry was receiving as other officers passed them. Thankfully she seemed completely oblivious to it, but even so Edward found himself walking closer to her, their shoulders occasionally brushing lightly. He reluctantly left her in the small automail wing of the headquarters, giving a death glare to the young male engineer there. He glanced at Edward as he showed Winry around the workshop, her eyes lighting up at the technology, and backed off a little as Edward crossed his arms.

"Just come to my office when you are done and I can take the afternoon off and we can start work on the shop if you like," he said loudly, interrupting the engineer's light conversation with her. She turned and smiled, giving him a small wave. He backed out of the room, suddenly in a grumpy mood and was about to walk down the stairs when a shout made him pause.

"Thanks Ed!" she called down the corridor. He smiled to himself and headed back to his office.

It was around midday that he heard commotion outside of his office. Sighing, he got up and walked to the door, listening to the excited conversations on the other side.

"You mean that's the girl he's been living with?"

"You're kidding me right? She's gorgeous!"

"He's seventeen, so surely he must have jumped her-"

"I'm going to get her number-"

"You idiot - it's the _Colonel's_ number too-"

"If he hasn't banged her up by now then I know I would-"

Edward, his face fuming and turning a deep shade of red, pulled his office door open and glared at the young officers who were loitering outside.

They fell into a thick silence until one of them spoke up. "Sir, is it true that you are living with that young woman in the automail department?"

Edward gritted his teeth. "Yes it is and we are just friends, get it? And she isn't some object you can just win-"

"So you two aren't together?" another asked.

A vein on Edward's neck pulsed. "No, but-"

"You mean you've been living with that hot thing up there and you haven't done her yet-"

Edward clapped his hands and pressed them to the floor, causing the floor to become uneven in the corridor, making the men lose their balance and fall over each other. He retreated back into his office and slammed the door behind him, his fists clenched.

He grimaced when the phone rang at his desk. He flumped down in his chair and roughly picked up the phone. "Elric" he said gruffly, his eyes like daggers as they stared at the closed door.

"Hey Fullmetal," a deep voice replied with some amusement in his voice. Edward's jaw tensed as he recognised Mustang's sarcastic tone. . "A little bird told me you've been having girl troubles. I just want you to know that I am always here for and-"

"Oh give it a rest!" Edward yelled, throwing the phone down into the receiver.

About half an hour later of furious scribbling, he was disturbed yet again by a knock on the door. He had just calmed down and stormed to the door.

"What now-" he began, pulling the door open.

"Ed, what did you do to the floor?" Winry asked as she stood awkwardly on the uneven concrete.

Edward sighed and clapped his hands and pressed them to the floor, making it even again. Winry eyed him closely, realising that something had happened that she would ask about later. She walked into his office and looked around thoughtfully. "So this is where you work?" she smiled.

Closing the door behind him, he nodded dully but then he then saw her move towards his desk. Suddenly remembering the photo was there he leapt forward and knocked it down with his hand, cleverly distracting her attention towards the window. "Look: you can see most of South City here," he said, his voice slightly higher than usually. As she looked, he carefully slid the photograph frame into the top draw of his desk.

Winry had said that she had seen everything and as they walked to the train station, she had concluded out-loud that Southern mechanics wasn't nearly as good as Northern mechanics. Edward walked with a frown on his face as he listened to the varying tones in her voice as she spoke. They climbed onto the train and sat opposite each other and began discussing plans for the afternoon, which cheered him up a little. Edward was glad that he felt relaxed in her company and she appeared to be doing the same, considering he had been tense for the last few days. After a smooth hour train ride, they arrived back in Dublith; the station only a few minutes walk away from the house.

Arriving back at the house, they made lunch together and Winry keep looking at him with her piercing sapphire eyes. She chopped some salad and then sighed. Edward tried to ignore her but had to admit that she had made him smile a fair bit and his mood had lightened a bit. After lunch Edward dressed in an old white shirt with some trousers on and headed down to the dark shop floor, a paint brush in his mouth. He went into the back room and grabbed the paint cans that Winry had bought and carefully opened them up, revealing warm pastel colours. He dipped a brush into one of the cans and began one of the side walls, and glanced at Winry when she entered. She beamed around the room, her hair tied loosely back into a high pony tail, a few strands hanging around her eyes and placed her hands on her hips, biting her bottom lip has she appeared to be in thought. Edward looked at her again and realised that she hadn't seen him yet, so he let himself look at her just a little longer. She was wearing her jumpsuit with that tiny black top on, smeared in oil. She then turned on her heel and took in his appearance too, but then suddenly shook her head, smiled and then grabbed another paintbrush and they began to paint the shop floor.

After they had finished the side wall, they began on the back wall, which was to be a slightly lighter shade, to make the room seem brighter, cooler and bigger. That's when Winry's curiosity got the better of her.

"So are you going to tell me why you were in a bad mood at work earlier?" she ventured, concentrating on her painting.

Edward frowned and then quickly cleared his expression. "You know…just the work I do isn't exactly fun…"

There was a silence, and all that could be heard was the thick brush strokes as the paint was applied. Winry rolled her eyes and stared down at him as he kneeled on the floor to paint the lower part of the wall. "Don't lie to me Ed – you were in a foul mood and I know you wouldn't just make the floor in the corridor like that unless something had really pissed you off," she said reasonably which made Edward flinch as he realised that she was most certainly right, as usual.

He sighed as he dipped his brush into the paint tin, the brush eagerly soaking up the thick colour, before being slapped against the wall. "Just the military guys at Southern HQ can be right assholes…" he muttered bitterly, avoiding his gaze. Winry remained silent and before she could ask why, he answered her silent question. "They look at women as if they are trophies to be won, and not like real people…"

Winry sucked a breath, "what are you saying, Ed?"

"I'm saying that when you came to HQ today, all of the young officers couldn't take their eyes off you as if you were a piece of meat-"

"And is that a problem to you?" Winry blurted out, glaring down to look at him. Edward looked up at her, all seriousness gone as he saw a huge smudge of paint on her cheek and the ridge of her nose. He burst into laughter, making Winry's temper rise slightly. "What is it?" she asked suddenly self conscious as Edward peered at her though his laughter.

Standing up and still chuckling, he went forwards and pressed his thumb to her face, trying to wipe away the paint. Winry blushed and slapped his hand away, and then grabbed her paintbrush and smeared a line of paint on Edward's face making his laughter stop abruptly. Winry then began to laugh and then lunged forward as Edward ducked and grabbed his paintbrush.

"Bring it on, woman," Edward called as he swiped her leg with paint.

She laughed then managed to get paint on his arm, letting out a successful cry. They continued to battle: Winry got Edward on the shoulder, Edward got Winry on her neck, and Winry responded by getting a good lunge at his chest, where a large and thick brush stroke went straight across his middle. Winry put her hands to her mouth and laughed; her laughter echoing throughout the house.

Edward stared down at his chest and clenched his jaw, his face deadly serious. "That was my best shirt," he said, glaring at her.

Winry's laughter immediately subsided and she looked at him with questioning eyes. Seeing his opportunity, he smiled and wiped some paint on her exposed stomach, making her issue a surprised squeal. "Hesitation!" he cried and then laughed at her shocked face.

"You jerk," Winry joked and pushed him to the ground, her paintbrush in her hand, aiming for Edward's face.

He grabbed her wrists to stop him from getting paint all over his face then suddenly realised that she was on top of him, her mind set. Edward shifted uncomfortably a little and let his guard down and loosened his grip, making Winry wipe paint down his cheek. She laughed, but it faded quickly, when she appeared to realise the same thing as Edward. She had indeed pinned him down, her legs on either side of him and her hands now by his head. Edward's breath caught in her throat and rather than let his thoughts take control again, he followed his senses and leant up a little to find Winry leaning down on him. He was mildly surprised when he found her kissing him back.

Edward let go of her wrists, paintbrushes falling to the floor, as his hands traced up her arms, one hand finding her glossy hair and gently tugged on the hair tie, the other skimming down the side of her body to her waist. Her blonde locks cascaded down and framed her face, fuelling a burning sensation in Edward's stomach. As their kissing intensified, Winry tugged at the collar of Edward's vest shirt, pulling them both into a sitting position. The clothes were obstacles as Winry roughly pulled it over his head and Edward fumbled in trying to find the ties to her top on her back and was quietly grateful that the shop floor windows were tinted, so nobody could see them.

He couldn't keep his eyes off has and when he finally unlatched her top, he rolled over and pressed her gently to the floor as she looked up at him with big eyes. He lightly kissed her shoulder and all the way up her neck to the corner of her lips, a small moan escaping her lips. Edward suddenly hesitated like before but looked down at her, feeling himself becoming almost high as he saw her cheeks flushed and her eyes a deep blue, her golden yellow hair tangled around her face. Her innocence clashed against his own as their bodies exchanged heat. He leaned in close and whispered, "are you sure you want this?" he asked as Winry's hands skimmed over his bare back.

Winry's hands paused as she looked at him, her breathing slightly ragged. "Ed, sometimes I wonder how you become a prodigy," she muttered, her hands falling to his crotch, tugging on his belt and then her fingers playing with the edge of his boxers, making him even harder. "I've wanted this for a long time," she breathed and reached up slightly to kiss his slightly open mouth.

Deciding that Winry had given him permission and halting his questions of 'how long', Edward began to roam his hands all over her body, with Winry doing exactly the same. He was finding it very hard to control himself, especially when Winry opened her legs a little and began moving under him. He trailed kisses from her face down her neck and around her breasts where his tongue played with her nipples making her moan loudly. Her hands dropped from touching Edward and she began wiggling again and Edward realised that she was trying to get out of her underwear. Edward moved his kisses lower and she stopped trying to pull them down. Instead, Edward's lips touched the softness of her stomach and even further. His hands played with the top of her white panties, until he knew she couldn't take the teasing anymore, so he slid them down her legs, kissing as he went and then threw them away. Winry reached forward, her warm and soft hands taking off his boxers. Edward pulled them off himself and then looked down at her, taking in how wonderful she looked without any clothes on. How could he have known that this beautiful woman was waiting for him the whole time? How did he know that clothes could conceal so much? He tore his gaze away from the dark blonde hairs in between her legs and looked up into her face, their noses now touching. Their bodies were millimetres apart and Edward could feel the heat radiating from the body beneath him. He pressed his chest against her own and buried his head in her shoulder. He was suddenly nervous – the temptation of her wetness which he could smell was driving him insane and he just wanted to dive into her but he knew that would hurt her she he paused.

Her hand gracefully moved its way down between their bodies and he gasped in her ear when she touched his hard member and guided it towards the wetness in between her legs. She let go and Edward slowly moved inside her. Winry gasped loudly and he paused, finding it hard to breathe. He looked up at her face, because he didn't want to hurt her. Without looking at him but giving him confidence, Winry place one of her hands on the small of his back and added pressure, making Edward comply. He moved deeper into her holding his breath and then exhaled as he started rocking inside her. Soon they were moving rhythmically together, their limbs entwined as Winry wrapped her legs around him and Edward's arms wrapped around her. They were both drenched in sweat as their passion took control, and Edward knew that it was no longer hurting Winry as they began moving faster. He kissed her neck as he made love to the only woman he had ever loved and treasured each moment he thrust deeper and deeper into her and the pleasurable cries he got in response.

It was desperate love-making and after many minutes of exploring each other, Edward felt like he couldn't control himself much longer. He buried his head in her hair beside her face and bit her shoulder, making her cry out as she breathed "faster". He complied, his breathing fast and lust-filled when suddenly he felt a tightening around his member and noticed Winry yelling, almost screaming with pleasure and calling his name, but she was clamped onto him and all blood went from his head as he fell into climax too; his moan echoing around the room, panting her name in return. Sweat covered them both and Edward kissed Winry long and hard on her mouth as he slid out of her and rolled off her, trying to catch his breath. It was now dark outside and the room was pitch black except for the dull street light that peered though the tinted windows.

Winry rested her head on his chest, his flesh arm wrapping around her whilst the automail one wiped his brow. Exhaustion took over him and he felt his eyelids drooping as Winry's breathing slowed next to him. He had taken her innocence and he had taken hers, Edward smiled to himself. But the smile faded when he realised that a big part of their innocence had been lost many years ago: Winry's parents being killed and living with her grandmother had taught her to grow up suddenly, as well as his own mistake with his brother by performing the taboo and journeying on never-ending quests. However, he had shown Winry that he wasn't an expert in every field in life and was new to a more personal side which they had both missed out on as growing teenagers already leading adult lives.

"About bloody time, Ed," Winry mumbled to his chest, sleep consuming her. Edward smiled and stroked her long messy hair


	9. Drive

The sun rose unhurriedly over Dublith, the heat already streaming in through the town, windows pulled open in predicted anticipation for the warm wave that began to sweep slowly over the town. Edward Elric felt a warm breeze shift through the open windows as he lay with his eyes tight shut. The thin curtains moved slightly pouring more light into the room, so he reluctantly opened his eyes. He wearily sat up on the mattress on the floor of a large room and rubbed his eyes, yawning as he did so. It took him a few moments to remember that he was not in his own room, for it was too light.

He paused and looked beside him were a sleeping form lay quietly, the only sound he could hear was her gentle breathing. He looked down at her golden hair that was swept across her shoulder and lay slightly tangled on the mattress. The thin duvet cover was pulled up to her wait as a cream night dress hung loosely around her as she lay on her side, her back to him. He smiled as he thought about the last week together: he had managed to get home from work everyday to find her in his arms again, their clothes being forgotten and scattered around the house as they stumbled their way up the stairs. He had been privately pleased that Al had been delayed by his school in moving to Dublith. Sighing contently, he stood up and stretched, scratching his stomach in the process and wondered over to the en-suite. Winry heard the floorboards creak near her and peeled her eyes opened to see one flesh foot and one automail one walk past her into the bath room. She smiled to herself and headed for the other bathroom in search of a warm shower, picking up clothes off the floor on her way.

Edward came out of the en-suite and dressed in casual clothes and began to tidy up. It was finally the weekend, so he headed into the kitchen and began to unsuccessfully cook breakfast. Winry smiled at him when she entered the kitchen dressed in a summer dress and her hair dripping wet.

"Mmm, that looks delicious," she grinned as she walked up to him, rubbing her hair with a towel in an attempt to dry it slightly.

Edward frowned at the mess of eggs on the counter and muttered something inaudible. Winry giggled and pulled out some bread and cooked some toast, glancing at the clock. "We should leave soon: I still need to pick the car up," she said, pulling the toast out from underneath the grill.

They ate their breakfast quickly (Edward's failed attempt at making scrabbled eggs dumped unceremoniously in the bin) and picked up a few belongings. They locked up and headed out into the street, Winry's hair already dry. They walked briskly, a slight chill in the early morning breeze as they headed to a car rental service point. Edward waited outside as Winry went into the small office to sign documents and get the keys to the black steam powered car that gleamed in the sun.

As he waited, Edward suddenly realised that he couldn't drive and doubted that Winry could either. He was debating about entering the office when Winry came out with the keys clutched tightly in her hand. She climbed into the driver's seat and motioned for Edward to climb into the passenger's seat.

"Winry, you can't drive-" Edward began, as she started up the engine.

She snickered, pushing the clutch down and putting it into first gear. "I can drive Ed; I learned how to from one of my patients in Rush Valley when you were off gallivanting after the Stone," she said, as she checked her mirrors and joined the main road out of Dublith, heading in a northerly direction.

Edward remained quiet and leaned back in his seat and studied her face. He felt a wave of respect wash over him and he felt grateful that she had tried to keep her life as normal as possible even though the thoughts of the brothers and her friends in Central had been on her mind.

The heat of the day began to build, so they rolled the windows down, Edward taking off his jacket and throwing it on the back seat. The wind blew all around the car, and Edward leaned out of the window slightly, feeling the wind rush though his hair and feeling incredibly relaxed, considering their destination. His eyes scanned the landscape that went flying past and eventually pulled his head back in the vehicle, running his fingers through his hair that had been knotted by the wind.

Their conversation was light and often they fell into companionable silence was Winry concentrated on driving. They stopped in a small town near Rush Valley for lunch before continuing north towards Central. The journey had been going smoothly until there was a sudden jerk and a small bang. Alarmed, Winry slowed down and pulled to the side of the road, other cars streaming past them at high speeds. Edward nearly fell of his seat as the jerking car rudely awoke him from a little nap he was having.

He mumbled under his breath and climbed out the car and walked to the front where Winry was lifting up the side bonnet. He approached behind her and placed a comforting hand on her back as he bent down slightly to inspect the engine which seemed to be producing more steam than was needed. Winry sighed and straightened. "It's the radiator," she said as he wiped her brow. They were on a fairly quiet road in the middle of no-where – the next town was a good few hours walk away and the early afternoon sun was warm on their backs.

She walked to the boot of the car and pulled out her small suitcase, placing it on the ground and opening it. Inside was an abundance of engineering items including several wrenches, screwdrivers and oil. She reached in the boot and grabbed her jumpsuit, and put it on over her summer dress with great difficulty. Putting some gloves on, she walked to the front of the car again and began selecting some tools, her hair falling over her face.

Edward shifted slightly, "Winry, you know-"

She straightened and went up to him and pulled his hair band out and used it to tie her own hair back. He glared at her as she bent down and started work on the car, ignoring Edward's protests. She groaned and pulled out one of the pipes in the car, and showed it to Edward. He looked down at it and saw that it had began to melt in the heat, and was in need of a replacement. She clicked her tongue and stared off into the distance, her mind working quickly. "The nearest town is miles away, but I might be able to fix it and-"

Edward stepped forward. "Damn it woman! I appreciated that you are trying hard here and I am amazed by your skills but I can fix it in a second," he said, a slight smile tugging on his lips.

She stared at him, placing her hand on her hips. "Oh really? And how exactly are you going to do that: do you think you're-"

He reached forward, tugged the pipe out of her hands and placed it back inside the engine. Then he clapped his hands and pressed them against the bonnet, causing an explosion of electric blue light. A few moments later, the car was shining in the sun, the engine humming healthily. He turned and looked at Winry with a big smile on his face.

She stared blankly with her mouth slightly open and then shifted as she saw his face expression. "Stop smiling you alchemy freak." she muttered, pulling off her jumpsuit and turning to the back of the car.

He followed her and gave her a hand packing her suitcase back in, still grinning. "Mental blank, Win?" He chuckled, slamming the boot down.

She sighed and ran her fingers through her hair, her face turning pink. "Yes Ed; I forgot you could do that…" she muttered, keeping her head low and walked to the side of the car, pulling open the back door and leaning in to grab a water flask.

He smiled at her humiliation and stood behind her. She straightened and jumped slightly when she saw he was right next to her. He leaned closer and kissed her lightly, her lips slightly moist from the water she had just drunk. He pressed her up against the car, earning himself a small laugh from Winry who wrapped her arms around him.

"Damn it Ed…you're just too smart for you own good," she smiled as he pulled away, his arms still around her. "But, we need to get going now to arrive in Central before it gets too late…"

He kissed her again, but this time more passionate and Winry felt her whole body heat up. In a cruel way, he suddenly pulled away and smiled. "You're right, let's head off then," and with that, he left her standing there as he climbed into the passengers seat, leaving a slightly dazed Winry standing by the road tentatively touching her lips. She frowned and got back into the car, a small smile on her face. She was pleased that she had learnt to drive – _driving is certainly more fun that train rides,_ she thought as she glanced sideways at Edward who was gazing out of the window, hiding the smile that was threatening to appear.


	10. Breathe Again

The tall blonde woman stepped into her office, and closed the door behind her quietly. She sighed and threw her coat down on one of the seats in the corner of the room. She pushed the window open behind her desk and then leaned over her desk, casually flicking through her in-tray, muttering slightly under her breath and subconsciously rubbing her neck with her fingers. Her chestnut eyes flicked to the clock on the wall before she straightened her hair and began to make some tea. Concentrating, she put the tea pot and two cups on a tray, picked it up with her right hand and left her office, glancing reluctantly at the pile of paperwork that glowered at her.

Pulling the door shut, she headed down the corridor; her boots clipping on the wooden floor, making passing soldiers stop and salute her. She smiled weakly at them as she tugged on her hairclip with her left hand. She approached the end of the corridor where a pair of large oak doors stood, and took a deep breath and collected her thoughts together before pushing open the door.

The man behind the large desk didn't even look up when she entered. She sighed to herself and went over to it, past the large, comfortable sofas and placed the tray down quite roughly, making the cups clatter. The man jerked and looked up at her with sleepy eyes. She pursued her lips and poured him a cup, giving the dark haired man a stern side-ways glance. When the steaming liquid had been poured, she carefully put the teapot down and went to the other side of his desk, shifting through and glancing at his paper work. He yawned and straightened, picked up a cup, and blew on it before taking a sip. He placed the cup down and smiled up at her. "Perfect, as usual, Lieutenant Colonel."

She remained silent, and subconsciously rubbed her neck again. His smile fell on his face as his eyes followed her hands and saw faint red marks on her neck. He lowered his gaze as she pulled her collar up tighter and concealed the marks. "Thank you, sir," she muttered before turning to leave.

Angry with himself, he abruptly stood up, making the woman pause in her tracks. Their gazes locked with each other and he opened his mouth as if to break the awkward silence, but was interrupted with a knock at the door.

Edward tensed slightly as he entered the room and noticed the uncomfortable atmosphere. He smiled and saluted Lieutenant Colonel Riza Hawkeye who responded equally. He then turned to the dark haired man by the desk and roughly saluted him. "Furher Mustang," he said with a smirk, lowering his hand. He noticed that Riza Hawkeye's eyes floated past his shoulder and to the doorway where another figure stood quietly.

Edward stepped back pulled the figure through the door, her blue eyes snapping up when she saw Riza. "Oh, Miss Riza!" she gasped, walking forward and held out her hand, which Riza took enthusiastically, a smile creeping on her face.

"Winry, it's lovely to see you again. You've grown a lot since I last saw you…" she replied, her eyes surveying her, flicking occasionally between Winry and Edward.

Edward smiled and headed towards the Furher's desk and flung himself down on one of the comfy sofas as Furher Roy Mustang slowly sat back down, taking a sip of his tea.

He cleared his throat. "Lieutenant Colonel: perhaps you could show Miss Rockbell around the new wing of HQ?" he suggested, momentarily pausing the women's conversations.

Edward shifted slightly and turned to look at Winry, who was glancing around the room with a slightly confused look on her face. Riza nodded and led Winry out of the room, giving Roy a long stare before closing the doors behind her. "You know, this was supposed to be a recreational visit, Mustang," Edward said, turning back to him.

"I know it is: that's why the Lieutenant Colonel is very kindly showing Miss Rockbell around for entertainment purposes-"

Edward snorted. "Yeah right – there are two reasons why you did that. One to have a boring and confidential military conversation with me which, (to be honest is slightly annoying because Winry can hear anything you have to say) _and_ I'm not here for work," he leaned forward and picked an apple up from the fruit bowl on the table in front of him. "Or," he continued, pausing before he took a bite of the green apple. "The tension is too much for you to handle with Hawkeye here-"

"That's enough, Ed," Roy cut across, his dark eyes flashing. There was a stony silence at which Edward munched on his apple and Roy took another sip of his tea, ignoring the fact that Edward had been right about the latter. Deciding to steer away from his emotional incapability, he diverted the conversation towards military news and duties.

Frowning throughout the whole conversation that dragged on for a good hour, Edward's mind began to drift as Mustang's monotonous voice droned on about his duties as a Furher and how Edward was becoming a slight hindrance. He responded with the occasional grunt, nod or 'yes' as he ate his apple slowly; his thoughts turned towards Winry and their plans for the rest of the long weekend. He wanted to take her shopping and buy her some new equipment to go in the shop, which would be ready to open in a few weeks. Winry was also going to drag him around furniture shops (because _apparently_ all of the best furniture could be bought in Central) and then they would head back to Dublith; picking Al up from Rush Valley on the way. He smiled how they had found a hotel the previous night and just crashed out on the bed, neither of them bothering to undress due to complete exhaustion. Still, when they had woken up, they suddenly had lots of energy-

"God Fullmetal, what's up with you?" Roy interrupted, glaring at him, making Edward sit up slightly. "You didn't even flinch just then about the new military decree number twelve…"

"Which was that again?" he sighed, finishing off his apple and masterly throwing the core into the bin in the corner of the room.

"…female officers being required to wear skirts at all times…" Roy continued.

Edward nearly chocked. "Are you serious? No wonder Hawkeye's pissed off with you," Edward said, reaching over to grab an orange from the fruit bowl.

Roy glowered at the young man. "And what's that supposed to mean? Why the hell are you so happy anyway?" he asked irritably, watching Edward unpeel the orange.

He smiled smugly and said nothing. After a few moments of silence Edward swallowed a mouthful of orange and looked at the Furher. "You know, I thought I was the blind one, but now I really think that it's you," he said simply, neatly finishing off his orange and throwing the peel onto the coffee table.

Before Roy could answer, Edward rose from his sofa and stretched. "Well all of this military talk has really made me hungry. Hope you don't mind if I take Winry and Hawkeye out for some food?" he said looking down at him. "You're welcome to come of course," he added with a smile.

Heaving a sigh, Roy stood up, rolled his eyes and steered Edward towards the door. "No thanks, Ed: I have a lot of work to do…"

"Actually Furher Mustang, I am going to command you (even though you out rank me) to come along, just because you owe me for saving your butt down there," Edward cut in, the smile gone from his face. They glared at each other for a moment before the vision of Riza's neck and her cold gun on the back of Roy's head came bubbling to the surface. Roy sighed in defeat and nodded his head.

"As long as you're paying," he grumbled, following Edward down the corridor. They spoke little and began to wonder where the women had gone when they stepped down the same corridor.

Edward smiled. "Hey Win, guess what? The Furher himself said that he would come to lunch with us; even though he has _so_ much work to do," he said sarcastically, winking at Winry.

Winry folded her arms, her eyebrows raised. "Ed; it is ten thirty in the morning. Surely it should be a late breakfast or early lunch?"

He shrugged, heading for the door. "Let's call it brunch then," he replied, flashing Winry a toothy grin over his shoulder, making her cheeks turn a different shade for a moment.

She turned to Riza. "So I take it you will still be coming with us?" Winry asked as they began to move towards the door; Edward and Mustang already walking down the steps in the sun.

Riza hesitated, her eyes searching the back of the Furher. He face relaxed and she smiled slightly. "Of course, Winry. I already said I would join you for some food," and with that, the two women followed the men, each in their own discussion.

After light conversations and exchanged glances, Edward pointed out a small cafe in a busy street, crammed with tourists. Roy protested slightly about the problematic concept of the Furher being surrounded by an abundance of people, but Edward shrugged it off whilst looking for a table under a canopy, saying that nobody would be stupid enough to take the Furher and the Fullmetal Colonel in a civilian area. They seated around a small circular table outside the cafe, with bushes and plants separating their table from the road.

Edward skimmed through the menu, his eyes flicking to Winry, who had a slight grin on her face, and was trying to hide it with her menu. Straightening his also grinning face, he sighed overdramatically and threw down the menu on the table, slouching in his seat. "I'm actually not hungry any more," he said in a bored tone before suddenly sitting up straight, flicking open his pocket watch and then jumping to his feet. "Winry, we've got to go! Remember the appointment you booked with one of the automail engineers-"

"I had forgotten! I guess we are going to have to go," she said sadly. Winry turned to look down at Riza who had a slight frown on her face. "I'm so sorry, but I booked an appointment to see a new and popular mechanic…Maybe we can do this another time? Ed and I have got so much to do in Central with this short visit…" she said, rising to her feet and collecting her bag. She walked over to Edward and they began to leave.

"Edward…" Roy began. Edward looked over his shoulder and smiled, casually wrapping his arm around Winry's waist, savouring the look on Roy's face.

When Edward and Winry had walked around the corner, Riza looked at Roy slightly concerned as his eyes were fixed on the street they had just walked down.

"Sir?" she asked carefully.

He lay back in his seat and folded his arms. "That bastard," he muttered.

*

When they were safely out of ear shot and around the street corner, Edward and Winry broke into laughter. "I am going to remember the look on Mustang's face for a long time," he chuckled.

Winry nodded, her laughter dying. "Although I do feel slightly sorry for Miss Riza…maybe it wasn't such a good idea…"

"Are you kidding? He's going to have to buy her lunch now," he smiled smugly.

They decided to start their shopping early, with Winry dragging Edward to a large furniture store, where they bought a table with matching chairs in deep mahogany; two double beds, one single bed and a large oak wardrobe for Winry. At first she was hesitant to spend so much money, but yet again Edward practically threw his money to the store assistant who only accepted it willingly, even though it would be a pain to have it delivered. Edward didn't mind at all: all of his life except when he was a child, he had not had the luxury of owning items of a materialistic value. Not only that, but he secretly wanted to spoil Winry, as if to atone for him not being there in the past.

The rest of the day went by idly, as they glanced in shop windows and discussed trivial topics and all the while, Edward's arm was either slug around Winry's shoulders or around her waist. She mused on the sudden burst of confidence he had with her and she smiled as a real right arm pulled her close as they walked. It was just as the sun was going down with bags in her arms did Winry see a figure lurk down a side alley. She paused and stepped backwards to take another look and saw a figure climb up the wall in the shadows. Edward, who had carried on walking, turned to see her and approached cautiously.

"Did you see something?" he asked, peering down the alley.

Winry pointed to the wall where the figure was nearly at the top, clinging onto guttering as they leapt to the roof; long, thick black hair flying behind them with a swish of a dark coat. "Is that..?" Winry started.

Edward moved forward, his mouth set in a grim line. "Yeah it is. I really need to talk to him. C'mon; let's find a way to the roof," he said as he turned away from the alley. They entered the building next to them which happened to be an abandoned block of apartments. Pausing at the bottom of the stairs, they exchanged glances before heading up the soundless building, the flooring covered in dull red carpets and the silent walls stained like spilt tea on parchment. They found a small maintenance room on the top floor, with a ladder and a door to the roof. Edward climbed up and pushed the door open, reaching his hand down to help pull Winry up.

They stepped onto the rooftop, a warm wind whipping around them, their hair stinging their eyes. Viscously tugging her hair behind her ears, Winry scanned the roof; the bright low sun constricting her vision slightly. Then she spotted the dark silhouette against the orange sky sitting on the edge of the roof, hunched over. He had his arms on his knees which were tucked up to his chest, with his head resting on top, mouth covered and eyes set straight on the horizon.

Winry and Edward approached slowly, Edward's arms raised slightly for precautionary reasons. The figure heard their footsteps and his head span around. His features relaxed as he recognised them. "Hey Ed, Winry" he nodded to both of them, before turning his gaze back to the horizon and the setting sun.

"Lin? Or are you Greed?" Edward asked, sitting carefully down next to him; his automail leg dangling off the roof and the other resting on the rooftop, his arm lightly on his flesh leg.

"Lin," he said simply, resting his head again and closing his eyes briefly.

Winry slowly sat down on Edward's other side, trying to ignore the drop below her as her feet hung over. She held onto the edge tightly and bit her lip, her vision blurring slightly as she saw tiny figures move down the street below.

"Where's your brother?" Lin mumbled.

"In Rush Valley for now, but we are taking him to Dublith on our way back to live with Winry and I," Edward replied. Lin raised his eyebrows slightly and glanced at Winry whose visage had gone slightly pale as she stared down. "Lin, what are you doing here? I haven't seen you since that Promised Day crap a year ago. Where's Lan Fan?" Edward asked, studying Lin's face.

Lin sighed and leaned back on his arms, letting his legs also dangle over the side. "I went home to Xing for a while and they are considering whether or not I am immortal. They've put me through loads of tests but I know what the next one will be-" with his finger he drew a line across his neck and stuck his tongue out slightly. He huffed and slouched again. "Truth be told, I didn't tell anyone where I went because I'm not in the mood to be killed over and over again. Lan Fan doesn't know where I am. She's probably killing herself wondering where I am," he laughed bitterly.

Edward glared at him and seriously thought about punching him until Lin spoke again.

"But I just wanted to get away. It felt like I had been trapped in my own country since I got back – people looking at me as if I were a large piece of gold and telling me where to go and what to do all day everyday; Lan Fan worrying about me when I'm worried about her..." he sighed and ran his fingers though his hair. He looked up at the slowly darkening sky. "I just needed to...to break away...relax and think for myself, you know?" His gaze went distant as he looked into the sky, a breeze hitting him in the face.

Edward looked at the silhouetted skyline and saw the sun dip lower and cower behind the buildings, their shadows growing as the light faded. He didn't answer Lin's question but thought about it instead. The view was quite impressive and it was so quiet up on the roof. The last few weeks had been hectic but right now he felt like time had paused for a moment to let him breathe. He felt the wind touch his face and closed his eyes for a moment sighing contently. He felt Winry shift closer to him and glanced down at her. "You okay?" he asked quietly. She nodded staring at the ground, her eyes wide. He lifted his left arm and wrapped it around her shoulders making her instinctively move closer to him. "Winry: look up, not down," he breathed in her ear. Reluctantly, she snapped her eyes tight shut and lifted her head up, her mouth set in a thin line.

Slowly, with a nudge from Edward, she peeled her eyes open and saw the stunning red sky mounted with Central's buildings and noticed the mountains in the distance-the rocks bathing in the sun that was remaining. She took a deep breath and let her senses take control as she smelt soot mingled with steam in the air and heard quiet polyphonic chatter in the streets below. Her gaze followed the horizon; Central HQ standing high and alone above the city, its dominating figure less intimidating in the darkening light. The wind started to turn slightly cooler as the light faded completely, and Winry felt the warmth of Edward's arm on her skin through his coat.

"See? Isn't looking up better?" he joked, smiling at her.

Winry felt reality hit her suddenly and scooted back away from the edge. "It sure was Ed, but do you know what? I kind of fancy staying away from the edge of the building and admiring the view back here," she said quickly and got to her feet.

Edward laughed at her, which earned him a sharp glance from Winry, making him stop abruptly. He cleared his throat, stood up and stretched. "Winry and I should be heading back now. Do you want to join us for some food?" he asked Lin, hoping that by mentioning food he would get a more enthusiastic response.

Lin shook his head and glanced at the pair, his eyes falling on Winry who was picking up the shopping bags. "No, you two have fun. I wouldn't want to be a third wheel," he said.

Edward followed his gaze and grimaced when he saw that he was looking at Winry. He turned to leave and said, "Yeah I guess you are right. See you around, Lin," and with that Edward and Winry walked away, leaving a troubled young man on the roof that was ignoring the chill on his skin.

When they were gone, he suddenly laughed at Edward's farewell. Edward had finally realised what kind of young woman Winry was. He chuckled and shook his head, ignoring the greedy side of him and respecting his friend's attitude. He had never liked Winry in that way, but it had been fun to wind up Edward. He stood up slowly remembering that there was somebody waiting for him back home who was somebody he had a reason to protect like she had protected him.


	11. Memory

It was still dark when they arose the next morning. Blinking back the dust from his eyes, Edward saw that Winry was already dressed with her bags packed and was just brushing her hair. She flicked the main light switch on in their small hotel room, ignoring the irritated and sleepy moan that issued from Edward as he shielded his eyes.

She walked over to the edge of the bed and slapped his flesh foot that was sticking out from under the covers gently. "C'mon Ed," she huffed, placing her hands on her hips. "We need to pick up Al this afternoon and I want to beat the busy traffic," she said through her teeth as she gripped a hair tie with her mouth, her hands pulling her hair back into a neat ponytail on top of her head.

He flopped his head back down, lay still for a moment as he built up the momentum to get out of bed. He pulled himself up at the thought of seeing his brother and how he would be living with him and Winry. Whilst he had a quick shower in the dull en-suite, Winry hastily threw his things together in the other suitcase and tidied up the room, smoothing out the bed covers and picking up litter off the floor. She left a small note on the bed for Edward saying that she had gone to put the luggage in the car and was picking up some bread and a croissant from the breakfast bar downstairs.

Even though Edward had just had a very cold shower to wake him up, he dozed off in the car as the lights of Central were whipped away from behind them, the tanned fields greeting them on every horizon. She cast a sideways glance at Edward as he lay with his feet on the dashboard, his head back and his mouth open. She chuckled to herself when she saw a half eaten croissant in his hand resting on his stomach.

Winry was pleased that she had woken up early and hit the road for she managed to avoid the rush-hour traffic. In recent years, she had noticed that more and more cars were joining the roads as designs became more advanced. Her thoughts traced back to the heavenly last few weeks with just her and Edward, but then a frown creased on her face as she drove in silence.

 _How long will this last?_ She thought, glancing at a now snoring Edward. She had waited for him for so many years and she had most certainly not pressured him yet she was a little worried that this carefree relationship of theirs could appear to be a fling and maybe they were going to be first loves and nothing else. She shook her head: what relationship? Sure, they had slept together a few times, but was that all she was to him? He may not even love her...The thought of losing him in this way made her stomach burn slightly as she dumbly let herself think of him with another woman.

She narrowed her eyes and glumly remembered her trip to Leore...and that beautiful and kind young woman Rose who had talked about Edward with shining eyes. Maybe it had just been gratitude for what he had done to the town, but then a little snide voice in the back of her head told her that she saw him in another way: she had been disappointed not to see Ed with Al and the advice he had given her...well it was typical of him to say things so bluntly that spoke sound truth. Maybe Edward had remembered that pretty girl from Leore and would want to visit her again to find her there with welcoming arms-

Winry clenched her teeth. Neither of them had said that clichéd phrase, even though she knew that she had fallen for him a long time ago, so maybe he could go and find another woman that was better for him. If he didn't say it then it wasn't there, surely? Her eyes felt a bit moist as she continued to drive, and her hands gripped the steering wheel in anger. Yet she was sure she saw it in his eyes as he rhythmically moved above her in the moonlight and the way his kisses spoke with such passion....was saying it such a big deal to her? Winry was inexperienced in this department and wondered if those eyes had held love, lust or just pity for her. She gulped and tried to control herself, angry that she had let her resolve down. She would not think like this, yet these thoughts plagued her mind when there was silence between them-

"Win," Edward said quietly. Her eyes flicked to him and she saw that his eyes were peeping open and looking at her slightly concerned from his comfortable position. "Are you alright?" he asked.

She stiffened slightly and focused on the road ahead. "Fine Ed, just thinking," she muttered.

He grumbled incoherently and gazed out the window. "Well obviously you're not fine and those thoughts aren't great ones, so you had better just tell me before it gets worse," he sighed, sitting up in his seat.

"And why do you care so suddenly about how I feel?" she snapped, immediately detesting the words that came out of her mouth.

His face darkened. "I always have Winry-"

"My arse, Ed," she replied, her voice shaking with emotion. "Like you cared about me or spared a thought about me when you were off gallivanting over the country."

Edward sat up even more and looked at her. "What the hell Winry?"

She clicked her tongue and fell into silence. "It doesn't matter..." she sighed quietly after a moment.

He crossed his arms and glared at her. "Just say it woman," Edward said, not letting this fall. After no response he touched her arm that was outstretched on the steering wheel. "Winry, you've got to-"

She shook off his hand. "For fuck's sake, Ed! I'm such a fool to think that this will last. Look at you! You're amazingly attractive and you've met so many people in the past who I'm sure took more than one second glance at you. You think I'm stupid? You just wanted to get into my pants to satisfy your needs and sooner or later you will be off again on a journey or sent away by the military where I am sure you will have another woman who will only be too happy to help when you need some place to stay. I met Rose in Leore, so I know," Winry yelled very quickly, her foot hard on the accelerator.

Edward gaped at her like a fish, his mouth opening and closing as he tried to digest her antagonised speech. "What?"

"I said ' _I-met-Rose-in-Leore'_ ," Winry hissed between her clenched teeth, her cheeks slightly flustered.

"Stop the car, Winry," Edward said quietly, tearing his gaze away from her.

Clenching her jaw she slowed down and pulled off to the side of the road. She turned the key and the engine came to a sudden stop; silence surrounding them.

Winry's hands fell off the wheel and onto her lap. She bit her lip angrily and refused to cry fearing that she was right. She assumed that he was going to tell her the truth and that confirming her theories would probably be an unwise move to make if she was driving. She unclipped her seatbelt and threw her door open quickly. "I need to stretch my legs," she muttered, slamming the door behind her.

They had parked by some thick woods and Edward watched as Winry entered their eluding shadows. After a moment of thought, he kicked himself and threw his door open and went after her. He caught up with her quickly as she continued to walk; his strides wider than her own. Edward reached forwards and clasped her shoulders, forcing her to stop. She struggled, trying to free herself from his grasp she faltered against him and was forced to turn and look at him. He held onto her shoulders as he looked at her, leaning down slightly so he could see straight into those shining blue eyes.

"Winry: you're such a fucking idiot sometimes. You think I don't care? You think I want to go wondering off again, leaving you on your own and waiting as usual? You seriously think I liked leaving you? That was the worst part you know-turning away from that big yellow house, but, hell, I knew you were safe there! I admit, I don't want this to end but this is reality and we both know that not everything turns out like we want it to. But don't you dare imply that I am a womaniser like that git Mustang," he said quickly, his eyes boring into her own.

She gulped a little, still angry, yet felt her temper fray slightly. He sighed, and dropped his hands and straightened, staring at the ground. "I've hurt you too many times Winry. I've made you cry and I make you angry like anything which makes me feel like shit too. I can't hurt you anymore-I would never do anything of what you just said...ever," His feet shifted in the dirt under the trees. "I'd do anything for you, Win," he whispered. "I nearly got myself killed for protecting you from Scar a few years ago: something which Al won't let me live down... and, well if it's best that we aren't like this and I go away to protect you; then I would do that for you."

"Ed, I-"

"It would kill me to leave you again, but...damn it..." he stuttered. Winry stepped forward slightly, her mouth open a little, ready to respond but she was hushed by his next words.

"I love you Winry," there was a pause and Edward's eyes widened when he realised what he had just said. "Shit..." he whispered.

She stepped forward again and looked up into his flushing face. A smiled trickled onto her lips as she moved her head closer to him. "I love you too, you idiot," she said, reaching up further so their lips touched. He wrapped his arms around her and deepened the kiss as if to reassure her that everything he had just said was true.

*

Around an hour later, they returned to the car, their faces flushed and hair tangled. Edward had his arm wrapped around her waist and with his other arm he reached into her hair and pulled out a few leaves that were in twined in her hair. They climbed into the car and continued to drive to the vastly approaching Rush Valley. It was as they got closer did Winry mention the one person who still stomped around in her mind.

"So what about Rose?" she asked casually as she over took a tractor.

His face puzzled a little. "What about her?" he asked.

"Well she's a nice girl...very nice to me when we met...pretty dark eyes..." Winry said.

He coughed a little. "No way Winry, don't even think it. I haven't seen her for years and...errr...you were always on my mind anyway," Winry rolled her eyes. "Seriously though; I don't look at women like objects (like some people). Just you Win," he smiled as he gazed out the window again.

Winry remained silent but felt the smile on her face. She was satisfied and the way he had said it was convincing. Even if Edward had had a little crush on her, it was a few years ago before either of them knew about their apparently obvious love. She realised that she had no reason to doubt him. "Hmmm, I doubt she would be very nice to me if we met now," she chuckled, secretly wanting to see Rose's face if she saw them together.

Edward shrugged and then pointed out that the next turning off was the one of Rush Valley. Winry drove down the familiar streets, excited to see Alphonse again, yet not as excited as Edward who hadn't seen his brother for over a month.

Winry pulled up outside Garfiel's shop which was surrounded by customers and climbed out of the car. The warm air greeted them and they stepped inside the cool shop where the waiting room was full of patients. They all looked up when Edward and Winry entered. Their eyes traced over Winry and suddenly, most of them jumped to their feet when they recognised her.

"Winry! Can you take a look at my leg...?"

"Where have you been? Only you can finish my automail so perfectly...?"

"Can you just check my arm port really quickly? I think I'm getting a heat rash..."

Winry laughed and took a step back from her old familiar customers. "Hi everyone...I'm not staying long but I am opening my own shop up in Dublith, so you can come and visit me there if you are willing..."

Garfiel came into the room and embraced Winry and tried to also hug Edward who shrugged him off. "Where's Al?" he asked. Garfiel pointed to the stairs as he started to talk with Winry about how healthy she looked.

Happily leaving the persistent crowd, Edward headed upstairs and found one of the bedrooms open. He peered in a saw his brother sitting on the bed, pouring over a book. He knocked on the door.

Al didn't look up. "Yeah..." he said as he continued to read.

"I take it I can come in?" Edward asked in fake uneasiness.

Al looked up and jumped to his feet, a smile breaking on his face. "Ed!" he yelled and approached his brother. They hugged each other and laughed. Edward commented on how well he looked and then grimaced on the fact that he had to look up to see his younger brother in the eyes. Al quickly threw a few clothes into his open and half packed suitcase. Edward looked at the book on the bed and saw the writing was in symbols. He leaned closer and saw transmutation circles with different annotations.

"Xing alchemy?" he inquired, picking up the book.

Al paused as he picked up his suitcase. "Yeah, it's really interesting. May sent me a few books over from Xing."

Edward broke into a large smile and closed the book, examining its cover. "May the bean, huh? How sweet of her to send you presents..." he chuckled.

Al snatched it out of Edward's hands and flicked open his suitcase again and placed the book inside. "Shut up, Ed," he said quickly as they descended down stairs.

They both laughed when they saw Winry inspecting somebody's automail arm. She looked up and went over to Al, giving him a quick hug. "Al, you've grown! Hey, aren't you taller than Ed?"

"We should be going!" Edward said quickly, moving though the crowd. Winry and Al smiled and Al followed him outside. Winry managed to shake off her customers promising that her shop would be open in a month and that she would let Garfiel know exactly when the opening date would be.

Al sat in the back of the car and smiled as he watched Rush Valley fade away. His eyes were then drawn to Edward and Winry who were sat in the front and the way they looked at each other. His eyes widened and he placed a hand over his mouth as he curiously pondered whether something had happened.

They arrived back in Dublith in the early evening with Winry saying that she would drop the car back tomorrow. Al gaped when he saw the house and his eyes darted around the rooms of the house as they gave him a quick guided tour. They were on the third floor and showed Al his bedroom, and explained that the beds would be arriving less than a week.

"So who has the big room at the front, is that yours Winry?" Al asked as he placed his suitcase down.

Edward and Winry exchanged glances. "Do you know what? I really should start making some dinner; I'll leave Ed to finish the tour for you, ok?" she said quickly and left the room, earning and irritated look from Edward, whose eyes followed her out of the room.

"Well Ed? Where do you sleep?" Al asked innocently yet curiously.

Edward clenched his jaw and felt his face heat up. Damn that woman, he thought and awkwardly explained the situation to his shocked younger brother.


	12. Insanity

The bitter taste of blood was in his mouth and he coughed as he lay on the dusty floor. He knew he was face down on the ground, yet he couldn't remember how he had got there. His mind whizzed as he tried to peel his eyes open, feeling that one of his eyes was more reluctant to open than the other. He reached his left hand up off the floor and gingerly touched his face and felt a lump surrounding his right eye. He pulled his right hand from beneath him and pushed himself up into a kneeling position, his left leg feeling different, He pulled at the fabric around his leg, his eyes widening when he saw that it was made out of metal. His hand traced the metal and up to the port above his knees, his eyes narrowing in confusion. A sudden voice broke his ponderings.

"I love it when I see the reactions," the voice hissed.

Edward whipped around and saw a figure with her hands on her hips. He blinked, realising that his eye was bloodshot too and tried to clear his vision. He realised that he was shaking a little tried to steady himself and wearily stood up and looked closer at the figure who was striding towards him.

"It's always the best part, you know: when you see the colour drain away from their face and their eyes widen in shock and horror and then you attack," the voice continued. Edward noticed that the room he was in, wherever that was, was shrouded in darkness and all he could see was a few feet and the silhouette. He suddenly jerked when he recognised the voice.

"Winry?" he called quietly to the approaching figure.

The figure stopped just out his line of vision and threw their head back and laughed. "Oh yes, it is me!" she said excitedly.

Edward frowned a little. "What are you doing here? Where am I?" he asked, glancing around him.

Suddenly the figure was right in front of him and pulling him by the hair, making his feet dangle a good inch off the ground. "I guess I hit you harder than you thought. You humans really are pathetic," the voice said. Edward looked at the figure with his eyes open and saw the face of Winry Rockbell. His brain had only just managed to comprehend that it was her before a kick in the stomach made him yell and he fell to the floor once again. Blinking quickly, trying to throw off the confusion, he stood up again with a bit more strength and stared at Winry.

"I thought you loved me Ed! Instead you leave me all on my own to fend for myself whilst you travel with your brother", she yelled at the top her lungs. "You don't care for anybody else, even though I am vulnerable! I hate you Edward Elric!" she screamed as she moved closer to him, her voice echoing strangely around them

Edward stared at her in utter disbelief. He didn't want to believe that she was doing this to him. The words stung like daggers in his chest and he looked away for a moment and stared at the ground. Winry hated him? That wasn't right...and she is a strong person...had he left her vulnerable?

" _Ed..._ " a voice whispered in the distance. It was so quiet that Edward only just heard it but didn't not register it.

The cruel smile on her face and her narrowed eyes suddenly changed his perspective.

"Envy," Edward whispered through his bleeding lips.

Winry's face smiled, showing white pointy teeth. "How could you tell, pipsqueak?" she chuckled in a deeper voice that was not Winry's at all.

" _Ed..._ " a voice whispered around him again. Ignoring it, he gritted his teeth and stared at what appeared to be Winry.

"Winry would never say those things-"

"Oh but they're true, aren't they?" Envy said snidely, picking him up again and turning into their true form. "You did leave her alone whilst you went with you brother. Not a smart move, kid," and with that Envy kicked Edward harder in the stomach. "You're just like Hughes," Envy yelled his voice trickling with laughter.

Edward landed on his feet this time and tried to clap his hands, only to find that Envy was in front of him again, holding his wrists and keeping them at a distance. Edward struggled and tried to clap his hands as he stared angrily at the creature who wore the face of Winry.

" _Ed! Ed Please!_ " there was that whisper again. He heard it clearer this time, because the words were spoken by Envy, yet Envy showed compassion on Winry's face.

The surroundings shifted and instead of being in a cold, dark and dusty room, he was lying in a room where the moonlight danced on the walls through the curtains.

Envy was still disguised as Winry and was still holding his wrists. He continued to struggle and began to yell. "No! You are not her you bastard!"

The grip tightened and Edward look closer in his rage and saw that Winry's face no longer wore the wicked grin or the narrowed eyes full of tormented pleasure: her eyes were wide and her mouth was slightly open, and she was calling to him.

"Edward Elric! Ed! It's me, Winry!" she yelled above him. He was lying down and she was straddling him in her nightdress, holding on tightly to his wrists that were eager to perform alchemy.

His eyes narrowed and he continued to struggle, noticing that her grip was becoming weaker as his automail arm was much stronger than her. "How do I know that? Stop playing with me Envy!" He shouted, making her blink.

"ED!" she yelled back, her face centimetres from his, their noses touching. "It's me, damn it! It's me..." A reluctant tear leaked from her eyes. She shook her head to clear it.

Slowly, Edward's eyes widened a little and his grip relaxed as he saw her eyes and took in the surroundings. They were in their house in Dublith, they were in the main bedroom that had thin cream curtains and he realised that he was lying in the new bed that had arrived from Central a few weeks earlier.

He dropped his hands and Winry let go of him, panting slightly. "Win?" he whispered.

She sighed and nodded, biting her lip, keeping a steady eye on him. He suddenly sat up a little and wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer noticing how his left leg was made of flesh. She lay down on top of him and brushed a few strands of hair away from his sweaty face. He closed his eyes in agony and unexpected tears began to fall down his face.

Winry, slightly shocked, traced her hands over his face and kissed his cheek lightly. "Ed; it's fine. It was just a nightmare...shush..." she murmured.

He stopped quickly and buried his head in her shoulder surrounded by hair and took in her smell: oil, vanilla and a light trace of strawberries. Yes, it really was her. He was such an idiot – nightmares hadn't plagued his dreams since he had slept next to Winry so this was a first.

She slowly rolled off of him and lay next to him with his arms still around her. She wiped the sweat from his brow and rested her head on his chest.

"I'm sorry..." he mumbled as he watched the shadows on the ceiling.

Winry wrapped an arm around him. "Try to sleep again Ed. I'm here," she said reassuringly.

His breathing slowed as he felt the warmth of Winry and fell back asleep minutes later, this time comforted by more peaceful images.


	13. Misfortune

Winry was sat at a small dressing table in the bedroom, with a hair tie in-between her teeth her hands raised in her hair and her head lowered and she neatly tied it back into a smart bun. Her eyes followed her hands in her hair in the mirror and her eyes flicked the Edward's reflection that was casually leaning out of the window as he buttoned up a white shirt. She continued to tie her hair back and when satisfied; she took the band from her teeth and smartly did her hair up.

"Hey, Win; looks like something's happening in the empty shop opposite," he said with an amused tone to his voice.

Winry smoothed her hair a little with a small comb and walked over to the window where the sun had just started peeping over the town. She stood next to him and peered out the window and almost dropped her comb. She leaned closer to the window, her nose touching the glass as she stared down at the street.

"Is that what I think it is?" she whispered as her eyes followed a machine that was being carried into the shop.

Edward glanced at her and shrugged. "I don't know. Looks like a drill to me. Although it does sort of look like the one in the workroom downstairs..." he mused.

"Of course it's a drill! It's a drill for automail! Oh the nerve! They had better not be opening today..."

Edward moved away from the window and began to search for his dark military boots. "I doubt it Win; you've been preparing for two months now – doubt they could get it done in one day, or," he glanced at his watch, "in two hours before the shops open," successfully finding his boots under the bed, he pulled them onto his feet and began lacing them up.

Winry opened the window and leaned out, heat already in the air. Her eyes narrowed as she watched two men climb a ladder on either side of the door. They pulled away the plank of wood to reveal painted letters saying ' _Dublith Automail'_.

She clenched her fists and withdrew from the window, her whole body rigid. Edward pulled his military jacket around his shoulders and tied his hair back into a loose pony tail. "I don't believe this – they are opening today!"

"Don't worry about it Winry, nobody's heard of them," he sighed as he tugged his collar.

"Don't worry? Ed, their sign is up above the door and the planks are coming down from the windows..."

Edward moved towards her and put his hands on her shoulders and steered her towards the door. "Let's get some breakfast, okay?" he said calmly as they made their way down stairs.

They went into the kitchen together and Winry quickly cooked some toast, all the while her fingers nervously ran through her hair and over her clothes. Edward sat at the small table in the kitchen with a fresh mug of coffee and took in her appearance. She was wearing a smart cream blazer and a matching pencil skirt, with a teal coloured top underneath the blazer. Her bare feet ran around the kitchen as her eyes flicked between the clock on the wall and through the kitchen door where she could just see out of the front window.

"Winry, everything will be fine. You look amazing by the way," he smiled.

She blushed and tugged a strand of hair behind her ear. Even though they were close, Winry still felt a little nervous and shy around him, and compliments usually threw her off. She handed him a slice of toast whilst she nibbled the corner of hers and began to make her second cup of coffee. Suddenly, they heard cheers and claps drift though the kitchen coming from the street below. They exchanged glances before Winry dashed to the living room window and peered out. Her face paled for a moment by what she saw. Outside the 'apparently' abandoned shop opposite, the boards had been taken down and a small crowd of people had gathered to see the opening of the shop. Her eyes narrowed as she saw a ribbon being cut by the mayor of Dublith. She leaned out a little further and strained her eyes so she could look into the shop. She grimaced when she realised that the windows, like the ones in her shop, were tinted, so she couldn't see inside.

"...and congratulations for being the first automail shop in Dublith...!" she heard the mayor speak though the crowd.

Edward strolled over to the window. "Winry, you're going to fall out if you're not careful," he said as he took another bite of his toast.

She pulled back from the window a little and gripped her coffee mug very tightly.

"This is bad Ed! I wanted to run the first automail shop in Dublith! I can't understand how they managed to fit everything in less than an hour! They must have been working on it through the back door...argh!" she marched back into the kitchen and slammed her mug down on the counter in frustration. "I don't believe this! I've been working on this shop for months! I swear somebody or something up there hates me," she said angrily, closing her eyes.

Sighing, Edward came up behind her and rested his head on her shoulder, smiling to himself for the fact that he was tall enough to do so. "It's just a little misfortune, that's all," he said reassuringly.

Winry whipped around and faced him, placing her hands on her hips. "Misfortune? You call that misfortune? No Ed, this is bad luck or bad karma or whatever. I work so hard and yet I still get beaten down. This was my once change to shine and prove myself to the local population and you think it's just a little misfortunate?"

Edward stared at her dumbfounded. "It's not like it's the end of the world...we don't even know who they are and you'll get all your customers from Rush Valley-"

"Ed, you just don't get it, do you?" and with that, Winry stormed out of the room and headed downstairs.

Winry clenched her jaw and slammed the door to the shop floor behind her. She took a deep breath and leaned against the wall and looked up at the ceiling with narrowed eyes.

" _Misfortune_?" she hissed and then chuckled darkly at his thoughtless words. She glanced around the shop floor and examined the layout of the shop. Prototypes of various automail body parts were displayed on tables with explainations and prices and a small set of chairs were lined up against one of the walls. Making sure everything was in place, she walked into the back room and checked her equipment, ensuring it was all working and functional. She dipped her head into the operating room making sure it was disinfected when there was a knock at the door from the house. She turned away from the operating room and made towards the door but it opened before she got there.

"Just heading to work now, Win," he said nervously glancing around the room carefully.

She smiled a little. "Okay, I'll see you later," she stared to turn away until he caught her wrist. She turned and looked at him curiously.

He leaned his face close to hers and lightly kissed her. "Good luck today," he breathed on her lips. Then he turned on his heel and before she knew it, she heard him running out the door in a rush to catch his train. She stood blushing for a moment before she shook herself and smiled. Glancing at the clock on the wall, she decided that she would open now to get prepared.

What she was not prepared for however, was the crowd of people queuing alongside the shop. She hastily found her keys and pulled the doors open, her mouth open when she saw a queue of about twenty people lining the street waiting to get into her shop. She recognised most of them, but some of them were new faces.

"Hello Dr Rockbell!" one elderly man smiled not too far down in the queue. "Are you opening for us now?" he asked, his face crinkling into a smile.

Winry stared then collected herself and nodded. "Yes, if you would all like to come on in? I set a waiting list sorted out..." Winry headed back into the shop and showed the customers to the waiting seats as she gathered names and set out agenda.

It was about midday when Alphonse came sleepily down the stairs. He rubbed his eyes as he pulled some casual clothes on and headed to the shop floor. He grimaced when he remembered the night when Edward had told him that Edward and Winry would be sharing a bedroom. He didn't mind at first and had just clapped his brother on the shoulder in congratulations, until Edward became over-confident and started trying to give him the dreaded 'talk' and then bragged about how good his sex life was.

Shaking his head, he opened the shop door and blinked in surprise as he saw a shop floor full of lively customers. He glanced around trying to find Winry, who suddenly came out from the back room, showing a middle-aged man the exit, as he flexed his upgraded automail hand. Al squeezed his way over to Winry and tapped her on the shoulder.

She span around quickly. "Oh, Al! You've finally got up! Great, you can help me out now, seeing as it's a Saturday and you don't have school. So would you like a weekend job working with me?" she asked quickly as she scanned her clipboard.

"Umm..." Al mumbled slightly taken back.

Winry smiled. "I'll take that as a yes then! Thanks Al. Right, could you start going around and booking appointments for people and what they need. Remember, surgery needs a five hours slot and we only have three available beds at the moment until the attic conversion is done..." she muttered quickly, as she crossed something out on her clipboard. "The appointment book is just in the office out the back, okay Al?" she looked up at him,

He stared at her. "Will I be able to help in the operating procedures?" he asked hopefully.

Winry blinked. "Well of course you can! That will help you at school, I'm sure." She walked away from him and guided another patient into the examining room as Al began his job even though he was still rubbing the sand from his eyes.

*

Edward returned from his extra hours at work to find Winry locking up the shop door, her hair escaping the bun she had tied up. Her blazer had obviously been disposed of as she worked as Edward admired her as she stretched up in a small strappy teal top to reach the lock at the top of the door. When she turned the key, she huffed and turned away, picking up a broom. Edward unlocked the front door that led to the stairwell and then shut it behind him and then entered the shop floor and saw Winry brushing up the floor humming to herself.

"So I guess it went alright?" he grinned, making her jump.

After a moment's pause, she smiled and continued to sweep. "Yeah, it was alright..." she sighed.

"Just alright? That's a shame..." he sighed, eyeing a new prototype on display.

Winry stopped sweeping and looked up at him as he walked further into the shop. "Ed, it was incredible. Did you see the queue outside my door this morning? I couldn't believe it! Al has got himself a part-time job here and he's already filled up my diary with clients and appointments..."

"And the shop over the road?" he asked, glancing at the darkening windows.

Winry gave him a huge smile. "Well Al went over there quickly just to have a look around and said it was _empty_ ," she smirked and placed the broom against the wall. "They had all the wrong equipment and tools (for Al kindly remembered the models of some of the machines there, bless him) and apparently the models weren't as nice as the ones he had seen in Rush Valley." Winry pulled on her hair and let it fall down her back. She ran a few fingers through it and headed towards the door.

She was just about to flick the lights off when she saw that Edward hadn't followed her, but had stayed put. She opened her mouth to speak but he beat her to it.

"So, I was right then?" he said quietly, his face unreadable.

Winry stared at him and caught the mischievous glint in his eye. "Damn you Ed, you were frikin' right again," she laughed. "It really was just a little misfortune," she said walking back into the room and closing the door behind her, flicking the light off so that the darkness swallowed them.


	14. Smile

She loved what she did, but he couldn't help but notice that her usually composed self was becoming disrupted.

Since they had first moved into the house in Dublith nearly nine months previously, Edward would come home from work in the evening and greet him by the door, as he held his arms wide open to catch her. Usually, their actions would lead elsewhere with stumbles up the stairs and clothes scattered around the house, sometimes being interrupted by Al, whose presence was sometimes forgotten in these circumstances.

Then, when Winry had been designing her new designs to go in the shop, she wouldn't meet him by the door, but would poke her head out of the kitchen door as she quickly made dinner. Edward would wonder over with a smile on his face and try to pinch a strip of cheese or a sip of stew. Winry would then laugh and shoo him away as she hummed to herself.

And then, her face would falter and her eyes would be tired as she tried to keep calm about the opening of her business. She had been excited yet nervous at the same time, but with steady reassurance from Edward, all negative thoughts would disappear and her usual radiant self would shine through.

Her automail shop had been open for three months and that's when Edward noticed her reclusion. She would shut herself in her workroom behind the shop floor, long after the shop had closed and would draw up some blue prints or tamper with a design. And that's when Edward noticed something that worried him a little:

Winry's gleaming smile was fading.

This sudden realisation hit him as he climbed off the train from a long day at work. He had even bought some of his documents home with him to finish on the train as he re-planned the use of alchemy in the military. Naturally, his thoughts had digressed and travelled to Winry and that's when he noticed the slow change in her.

Tugging his collar he skimmed his way through the crowds at the small train station, taking the usual back exit when he saw a woman with black dreadlocks watch over the crowd. He was going to talk to his Teacher today, but he was worried about Winry – something which distressed him greatly. He walked down a few streets in the darkness as the gas lamps flicked on and noticed the cool northern air touching his face. Winter would be drawing in soon and even though they were in the southern part of the country; snow had lightly blanketed over Dublith in the last decade.

Brushing himself off and searching for his key, he eventually entered the house and made his way up the stairs. When he got to the landing he kicked off his boots and took of his military jacket, hanging it over the banister. He glanced around the dimly lit hallway and strolled through the lounge and into the kitchen where he found his brother pouring over school text books on the small kitchen table.

"Hey, Al," Edward said distractedly as he went to the sink and ran the cold water tap.

He barely looked up and mumbled a reply.

After successfully finding himself a glass, he poured himself a cold drink of water and then leaned against the counter as he drank thoughtfully. Edward frowned at his younger brother.

"Don't tell me you're studying again, Al. The new term has only just started!" he said as he saw 'biology' written on the spine of the textbook as Al wearily closed it shut.

"I know," Al sighed. "It's just really interesting and I like keeping ahead of my studies."

Edward drained his glass and glanced around the room. "Where's Winry?" he asked casually.

Al shrugged as he got up. "I don't know, probably in the workshop or the office knowing her. I guess we could cook for a change," Al suggested.

Edward nodded. "Yeah, it can't be that difficult. Alchemy originated in the kitchen...apparently."

Exchanging glances with each other, the brothers set about the kitchen looking for ingredients to use for dinner. After successfully managing to find some chicken and a few vegetables, they decided to fry the chicken and vegetables together in a large frying pan.

"You sure you know what you're doing, Al?" Edward asked uncertainly. He had seen Winry cook many times, but had never actually watched her cook...he had rather just watched _her_.

"Of course: May told me the recipe from Xing. Apparently this is called a 'stir-fry'," he smiled smugly.

Edward stared at him for a moment, before his thoughts turned back to Winry who hadn't made an appearance yet. "I'm going to find Winry," Edward said, and headed upstairs briefly just to check to see if she was in the bedroom. He peered through the door and found their dark room empty so concluded that she must be in the shop.

Running down the two flights of stairs with ease, he burst through the shop floor to find it silent and still. Scratching the back of his head, he wondered through the back door and into the workshop where the lights were on, but there was no sign of the person whom he sought. He slowly made his way to the office and lightly pushed open the door.

Winry had her head in her arms on the desk, surrounded by paperwork and fast asleep. Her hair was down completely and her mouth was slightly open and her eyes were tight shut. Edward closed the door behind him quietly and stepped into the office. He moved over to her desk and peered over her shoulder to see numerous sheets of finances with an abundance of crossings out and calculations. He frowned and glanced down at her, gently moving the strands of blonde hair that had fallen on her cheek.

As Winry stirred, Edward sat on the desk and looked down at her, concern flooding him. It was unusual for Winry to be this tired and stressed and the thought of her over-working and making herself ill made him feel sick.

"Oh, Ed; I didn't hear you come in," she mumbled sleepily as she raised her head. 

He smiled at her. "Yeah, Al is trying to unsuccessfully cook dinner so I thought I would come and find you," he glanced at her worriedly.

"Is that the time already?" she stifled a yawn and stretched her arms above her head.

"Winry, what's up?" Edward asked quietly.

She paused and looked at him. "Nothing's up Ed. I'm just tired. I didn't know running an automail shop could be so much work. The finances are killing me and that automail shop had more customers than me today..."

"Just smile Winry, okay?" he said, placing a hand on the side of her face. 

She gaped at him for a moment and then shook her head. "Sure, Ed," she muttered and got up from her desk chair, her eyes nervously flicking between the stacks of paperwork.

"I mean it Winry. You don't smile anymore..."

"Of course I smile, Ed. I smile at my customers and-"

"Yes but you don't smile like you mean it. I've seen you, Win. Forced smiles yet I can tell when you really smile and truly mean it because your eyes smile too," he said simply.

She stopped in front of him, her mouth open a little and a slight blush on her face. After a moment, her gaze fell to the floor, her face downcast. "Sorry, Ed," she whispered.

"No no, Winry, I don't want you to apologise!" he said quickly, cupping her face with his hands. "I just want to see you happy and I will do anything I can to make you happy. Just tell me if something is bothering you," he said sincerely, his eyes wide as he tried to force his message across.

"There's nothing, Ed. I'm just ... a little stressed...trust me," she smiled. 

Edward nodded and kissed her on her lips and she kissed him back. Then he pulled her into a fierce hug, resting his head on top of hers, smelling the sweetness of her hair. "Maybe a holiday is needed then, to make you relax?" He suggested.

Winry shook her head. "I can't take a holiday just yet, Ed. I am still sorting out business...but maybe someday though," she sighed into his chest. 

Remaining silent, Edward held her a little tighter as if to silently reassure her. "If there's anything bothering you, ever – then please tell me Winry. I don't like seeing you like this," he mumbled.

She nodded. "I know Ed, but I think I am just really tired. I'm sorry if I snap at you, alright?" She said quietly.

Pulling away and taking hold of her hand, they made their way up the stairs, a strong and delicious smell wafting around the house. Edward was a bit apprehensive about his younger brother's cooking, and remembered that he needed to tease Al later about the bean girl.

Winry sniffed her nose and ran into the kitchen squealing. "You cooked chicken? I love chicken! I can't stop eating it at the moment – it just tastes so good!" she cried, grabbing a plate of food and eagerly sitting down at the table, eating the chicken very quickly. Edward and Alphonse just stared – they had never seen Winry eat so quickly. Edward shrugged and smiled and grabbed another plate full of stir-fry and joined Winry at the table, closely followed by a confused Al.

When they had finished eating and Winry had stolen a few pieces of chicken from Edward's plate, she yawned again. "I think I am going to go to bed. Wake me up early please Ed. Thanks for dinner, Al; you can cook more often if you want," she chuckled clearing the plates away. She stooped to give Edward a kiss on the cheek and the made her way upstairs, quickly wiping the smile off her face as she left the room.

There was silence in kitchen, save for the ticking clock on the wall. Edward cleared his throat. "Since when did Winry like chicken so much? What's up with her? One moment she's stressed, the next she's angry, the next she's crying and then suddenly she's hysterically happy..." he ran a hand through his hair, making the hair band become loose. "Women are so freakin' complicated, Al but at least she is smiling again," he sighed, looking at the ceiling.

Al merely nodded and turned away a little concerned at Winry's erratic behaviour.


	15. Silence

Her eyes snapped open, and instinctively, she jumped out of the bed, keeping her mouth tight shut, and ran to the en-suite bathroom, where she quickly closed the door behind her and fell towards the toilet, retching violently. She sunk to her knees and hugged the toilet as soon as she stopped and heard her heart beating in her ears. After a few moments of steady breathing and assurance that she wasn't going to throw up again, she wearily stood to her feet and pulled the chain on the toilet. Her legs, like jelly stumbled over to the sink where she quickly brushed her teeth, trying to get the bitter taste of vomit out of her mouth. Then, she pushed the door open a little and peeped into the bedroom and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that Edward was still asleep.

Closing the door quietly and retreating back into the bathroom, Winry locked the door and turned the shower on. She began to undress uneasily and refused to look down at her body as if scared about what she might see. Tentatively placing a hand under the water to check the temperature, she then carefully climbed into the bath tub and stood under the shower; pulling the plastic curtain around the tub.

She sighed and relaxed, letting the warm water run over her and enjoying its embrace. After washing herself and her hair, she remained in the shower, ignoring the fact that all of the hot water would be gone for the other two inhabitants of the house. She liked the way the water washed over her and it helped her to think – thinking about herself was something she rarely did, for she cared more about other people rather than herself.

She had been sick every morning for the past week, except for one day. She hugged herself in the shower as she felt her stomach drop. At first she had assumed it had been all of the chicken she had been eating but then again, she was only sick in the mornings. Notwithstanding, she had been feeling sick most days anyway, but never sick enough to actually throw up. Being a doctor and aware of the human body, she knew her logical side of her mind was tingling with her imagination, and she couldn't believe it.

This couldn't be happening: she was too young for this. _I'm not even eighteen_! She thought despairingly. She sunk to the floor of the tub and tucked her knees up to her face, and wrapped her arms around her legs, the water still pouring over her. True, both she and Edward would be eighteen in a few months, but she felt scared. She stared down at her toes and began to deny it. _It must have been something I ate_ , she assured herself. But then shook her head. Who was she kidding? She and Edward had been, as the idiom said, 'been at it like rabbits'. If this was the price she had to pay for that then _c'est la vie_ – it couldn't be that bad. She pulled herself up and realised the water was starting to turn cold. She turned off the water and climbed out of the bath tub carefully, and wrapped a towel around her.

After she had dried herself, she walked back into the bedroom and began to get dressed, pulling on her jumpsuit. She then walked over to the bed, running her fingers through her wet hair. She touched Edward's shoulder and after a moment of light shaking, he slowly opened his eyes and looked at her sleepily.

"Sorry Winry, you know I'm bad in the mornings," he joked as he leaned across to his bedside table where his pocket watch rested. He flicked it open and then suddenly leapt from the bed and began searching for his clothes before diving into the cold shower. Winry patiently got out a shirt from the chest of draws and pulled his shoes out from underneath the bed. He ran back into the room with a towel wrapped around his waist and pulled his clothes on. Winry buttoned up his shirt as he tried to run her comb through his wet hair, her hands moving slowly until she felt his enclose them.

"You alright?" he asked looking down at her.

Winry hesitated and then smiled. "Yes, I'm fine. You really should get up earlier," she replied brushing his shoulders.

Edward glanced at her and then checked his pocket watch again. "I'm not going to be able to have breakfast this morning, sorry Winry," he said apologetically as they made their way downstairs. "I'll attempt to cook dinner for you tonight, to make up for it, yeah?" he suggested as they began to descend the next flight of stairs.

Winry murmured a reply, all the while her eyes fixed on his back. He turned at the door and looked at her again. "Are you sure you're alright? You look a bit pale," he said a little concerned.

Winry smiled and shook her head. "It's nothing Ed, I ... ah just didn't sleep that well last night," she replied, which was true. She had felt exhausted but sleep would not take over her.

"Alright, well if you are sure," he leaned forward and kissed her. "I'll try and be back earlier today. Have a good day and don't work too hard!" he said as he walked out of the door.

She leaned against the door frame and waved at him. "You too!" she called, watching him run towards the train station. After another moment, she sighed and headed back upstairs rubbing her arms. After prodding Al to wake up, she cooked him breakfast and heard him yell a little when he turned on the shower and being covered in cold water.

Winry was just setting the plates down of fried egg on toast at the table when Al came into the kitchen, his hair dripping wet. "Looks like all of the hot water has gone again..." he sighed and began eating his breakfast.

Winry sat down slowly at the table and looked down at the fried egg on her plate. A sudden gag shook her body and she pushed the egg off her plate with her knife and fork and just ate the toast. "Al, do you think you can watch the shop for an hour on your own?" Winry asked quietly as she nibbled her toast, giving uneasy glances at the egg.

"I have school this morning but I can this afternoon, sure. Why?" he asked, not looking up from his food.

She grimaced realising that she was going to have to wait even longer to find out. "That's fine. I just need to...see the doctor today," she said honestly.

Al looked up, creasing his forehead. "Winry... are you feeling alright?" he asked slowly.

"I just keep being sick, that's all... _every bloody morning_ ," she shrugged, avoiding his gaze.

Al shifted a little in his seat. He pieced this together along with her erratic behaviour and her sudden love for chicken and suddenly felt like his stomach had fallen to the floor. "Winry...do you think...um...that you are...you know..."

"Pregnant?" she hissed, her eyes flashing dangerously. She took a few deep breaths and then got up from the table, leaving the toast and egg hardly eaten. "I don't know Al, I just don't know. How did you figure it out?"

"Biology is my favourite subject at school and we have been studying this recently..." he replied, his appetite suddenly gone.

There was a long silence before Winry turned from the kitchen sink. "Do you think Ed knows?" she whispered glancing at him.

Al shook his head. "You know Ed; the most obvious thing will be right in front of him and yet he will fail to see it. He's always been like that with you, Winry."

She chuckled darkly. "Yes, for once I am pleased that he hasn't picked up on this."

Al collected his textbooks and then bade farewell to Winry and promised that he would be back by midday. She grabbed his arm just as he was about to leave. "Don't tell ok... please?" she whispered urgently.

He hesitated for a moment and then slowly nodded. "Of course Winry, but when you find out for sure, you must tell him sooner rather than later." Winry nodded.

After Al had left for school, Winry tried to keep the day like any normal day and opened up her shop for business as usual. She examined patients, fiddled with automail and even did a small surgical procedure, where she had to attach an automail thumb. It was tricky, but it kept her occupied for a while before Al came back. She had just finished the operation when he entered and immediately dashed upstairs and got changed into a skirt and vest top, grabbing her coat on the way out and pulled on some thick leather boots. She waved at Al on her way out and made her way through the town, heading for the nearest doctor's surgery.

Winry paused outside the door for a moment, her hand on the door knob and then gathered some strength and determination and pushed to door open. She stepped into a quiet waiting room and went over to the desk. She had thankfully rung up earlier in the day and booked herself an appointment, although it probably hadn't been necessary when she saw only two other people sat quietly in the small waiting room. She checked in and then took a seat with the silent occupants and picked up a newspaper as she waited. Her eyes were then drawn to a slim woman who sat a few seats away from her with jet black dreadlocks and sharp eyes. Winry saw a mark on her chest and recognition clicked in her mind.

Uneasily, she cleared her throat. "Um, hi?" she quietly, folding her newspaper up.

The woman turned and looked at her. "Yes?" she asked politely.

Winry tugged her hair behind her ears before continuing. "That tattoo on your chest is familiar to me...do you know the Elric brothers by any chance?" she asked. She had remembered seeing this woman with the same symbol on her chest when she and Edward had first moved to Dublith. Edward's crimson red coat was on the back of their bedroom door had the same symbol on the coat that was on woman's chest.

A small smile filtered across her face. "Yes, in fact they were my apprentices," she said affectionately.

Winry gasped. "So you must be Izumi Curtis! I've heard about you, but you are so much different than what they made you out to be-"

Izumi's smile twitched on her face for a moment. "Is that so?" There was a pause between the two. "So how do you come to know them?" she asked casually.

Winry smiled. "I grew up with them: I've known them both all of my life," she said simply.

The woman looked at her. "You're Winry, yes? Edward talked about you when he was younger...have you seen them recently?" she asked, looking at Winry with a new interest.

Winry looked at her curiously. "Well yes...I share a house with them here in Dublith...have they not visited you?" she asked.

Izumi's eyes widened a little. "I am sure they have been very busy, so it's fine," she sighed.

Surprisingly, the doctor called Winry in next. She shakily made her way to the door and glanced back at Izumi. "It was nice meeting you," Winry smiled, and Izumi smiled warmly back at her.

Her conversation with Izumi Curtis had briefly taken her mind off things. The female doctor was friendly yet serious and showed Winry to the bathroom where she was told to urinate into a small plastic cup. Hesitantly and feeling slightly sick, she compiled and returned with the sample a few minutes later. The doctor took her details and her eyebrows rose slightly when Winry told the doctor her age. Ignoring the reaction and keeping her voice strong, she answered an abundance of personal questions. After the 'interrogation' the doctor said that she would phone in a week to let her know the results. Winry left the surgery slightly agitated and annoyed to the fact that she couldn't find out any sooner.

*

The week dragged incredibly slowly and Winry found herself waiting by the phone when she got a spare few moments. Not only that, but her appetite had began to dwindle and she no longer felt hungry. She continued to happily cook meals for Edward and Alphonse, but she found herself eating hardly any of the meals or none at all and she would occasionally skip breakfast and lunch. Winry had managed to keep her happy visage, yet she knew that Al could understand her sometimes unpredictable behaviour and after nearly a week of Winry diving for the phone before anybody else, Edward started to notice too.

"Are you expecting someone to call or something?" he asked irritably as Winry snatched the phone out of his hands, just as he was about to say 'hello'.

She shook her head at him and waited for him to leave the room until she spoke down the receiver. "Miss Rockbell? It's doctor Atwood here. I have received the results from the lab...would you like to know?"

"Yes," Winry gasped, keeping her voice down.

"Well the result came back a little quicker than normal, probably due to you young age and your natural high fertility...so the rats (1) were able to come to a conclusion quickly: congratulations Miss Rockbell; the results were positive," the doctor said tonelessly over the phone.

Winry's eyes widened and she felt a single tear run down her cheek. She quickly brushed it away. "Positive. Yes, right...thank you," and with that, she hung up.

After a moment, she moved upstairs and decided to skip dinner, and headed for the bath. She ran the taps where warm water flowed and poured some liquid in, making bubbles appear. When the tub was nearly full, she turned off the water and undressed, slowly sinking into the water. She sat in the warm water for a long time, her head deep in thought. She must have only been a few weeks gone and deep down she knew that she had only been pregnant for a short while; she had only missed one month's bleed. She bit her cheek and forced herself to lock away the tears that had begun to fall from her sapphire eyes.

She was too young for this. Women her age were just getting started in the world and getting their lives in the right direction: not starting a family and becoming a hindrance to everybody and herself. As horrible as it sounded, Winry knew that this baby was unwanted, yet since she had found out minutes previously, she had already started becoming attached to it. That was something her and Edward had created, something which was precious and one in a million. A soapy hand gently touched her abdomen and she wondered when a bump would form. The thoughts of Edward overtook her mind and she grimaced, allowing more tears to fall from her eyes. She had said to Alphonse that she would tell Edward as soon as she found out, but now she wasn't so sure. What would his reaction would be? Would he embrace her with tears of happiness or would he swallow hard and hide his discomfort? They wanted to live life a little before settling down. And then another thought took over:

Winry was scared.

This was completely new to her and she had no mother to confide in. Her grandmother was a long journey away and she cringed when she imagined her face if she told Pinako.

No, for now, this was her burden to bear. She would hold out and be strong, like she had always been...She would remain silent and continue with her life.


	16. Questioning

One month had passed since the phone call and Winry had continued with her routine as usual. However, she became more obsessed with her work and would stay up until the early hours of the morning trying to complete a design. Edward had noticed and urged her to come to bed because she was over-working herself, but after a few nights of going to bed at the same time as him; she would lie awake and wait until his breathing slowed before slipping out of bed and silently heading downstairs to the workroom to continue her work. She would pull a few 'all-nighters' and would usually fall asleep at her desk in the office during the day for at least an hour. Other than that, she had to say that she was doing a fine job of convincing Edward that everything was fine. Although, Edward had noticed that her arms had become a little thinner and her face a little gaunt.

Initially, Al had assumed that she wasn't with a child for she did not speak of it and he found that she had been quite busy. But he had been in the living room one evening reading some school textbooks way into the night and had seen her sneak down to the shop, completely oblivious to the fact that the living room lights were on. Winry had found herself confronted by Al a few days later and she told him the results and then hastily added that she would tell Edward when she was ready. They both despised keeping secrets from Edward, but Winry had insisted that this was her problem, so she would handle it. And with that, Winry continued with her work and dived into her designs for her customers.

Her body ached everywhere, but especially her breasts and her lower back. She would walk around the house gently massaging her back before being attacked with painful headaches. None the less, she would be firm and would try to ignore the pain by distracting herself with her work or by cooking. Although, her appetite hadn't been itself recently, and she had been skipping more meals than she would care to think about.

Winry was in the office carefully looking over some blue-prints, until she felt a small stab of pain in her abdomen. She shrugged it off as nothing because it hadn't really hurt. Still, her hand lightly touched the place where a life was growing. That was the first time all week that there was no pain or ache in her back or her breasts. She whipped her hand away and ran it through her hair and was interrupted with a sudden knock at the door.

Al came into the room with a clipboard in his hands, for it was a Saturday and he had been stock checking. "There's someone to see you here, Winry," he smiled. Curiously, Winry rose from her desk and headed to the door, where a small woman waited on the other side.

"Granny!" Winry cried, flinging her arms around the old woman. Pinako patted her grandchild affectionately on the back and chuckled.

"Well you sure are doing well. You have a wonderful shop," she said as Winry pulled away.

Winry beamed. "What are you doing here? It's such a long journey from Resembool to here..."

"I thought a surprise visit was in order," she smiled eagerly looking around the shop.

Deciding a tour was in order; Winry left Al in charge and showed her grandmother around the shop. After, she took the old woman's suitcase and they headed upstairs into the house and showed her around the first floor.

"You're so lucky you have this place; Edward was very clever in getting this. Speaking of Edward, where is he?" she asked, taking a tea mug from Winry who had just brewed some.

"Oh, he's at work; he doesn't get many Saturday's off," she replied, taking a sip of her tea.

There was companionable silence for a moment until Pinako drained her tea and placed it on the table. "So how are you and Edward? You're looking quite thin, dear"

Winry blushed and ignored the last part of what Pinako said. "Well...err we are...kind of together now..." she said quietly, a cheeky smile spreading slowly on her face.

"About time too!" Pinako sniffed. "How long for?" she asked.

Winry ran her fingers through her hair. "Umm, well pretty much the same week I moved in here," she answered, hoping that this conversation wasn't going to turn down an alleyway that she would not like to discuss with her grandmother. Unfortunately it did.

"Yes granny," Winry sighed, half an hour later after a lecture on relationships. Although, her agreements with her grandmother had been forced because what Pinako didn't know was that her granddaughter was sharing a bed with Edward and that she was carrying his child. A lump formed in her throat for Winry hated lying, but she wasn't ready to tell anyone yet and her grandmother's questionings were becoming a pain.

"I'll show you to the guest room, yes granny?" Winry suggested, reaching down to pick up her suitcases and headed for the stairs.

The old woman nodded and followed Winry, her eyes flashing curiously. They began climbing the stairs, until something strange happened when Winry was about two thirds of the way up. Winry's hand that was carrying the suitcase opened on its own accord and she dropped it, nearly knocking her grandmother out. Before her Pinako could say anything, Winry's face had turned pale, and she let out a small scream followed by a whimper, as she pressed her hands to her abdomen. Tears sprang from her eyes and all colour drained from her face as her eyes rolled and her body weakened. Pinako's eyes widened and she felt something catch in her throat when she saw a trickle of blood run down Winry's leg. Winry's eyes closed and she collapsed, falling down the stairs. Pinako tried to catch her, but only managed to slow her a little as her small frame fell backwards unsuccessfully catching her.

Winry's world blurred after it felt like blades of fire had been stabbed into her abdomen. She felt herself falling, yet she did not care, because as the darkness enveloped her, the pain began to fade.


	17. Blood

Edward reclined in his office chair and sighed, closing his amber eyes. He had finished all of his paperwork, but he knew that his peace would be disturbed at any moment with a phone call from the Furher, giving him more work to do that would result in numerous headaches. As if his thoughts had been sent telepathically, the phone rang minutes later and Edward sighed again and picked up the phone.

"Elric," he said in a bored voice.

" _Sir, there's a call coming from Dublith...we believe it is your home phone_?" the operator said.

Slightly surprised Edward smiled. "Yes, that's fine. Please patch it through," he replied and waited to hear a click for the line to change.

" _Ed_!" a voice called on the other line.

"Al? Are you ok?" Edward asked, curious why his younger brother was calling.

" _Ed, you've got to come home as soon as possible_ -"Al panted hurriedly on the other line.

Edward frowned. "Why? Is everything okay?"

" _Just leave the office now and get the next train to Dublith...it's an emergency..."_ was the hasty reply he got.

"What emergency? Al!" he called but was cut off when he heard voices in the background.

" _Al! Move Winry onto the bed upstairs and then hurry to the nearest doctor's...I'll find some spare towels to clean up the blood..."_ Edward heard a voice in the background.

" _Yes granny! Ed, just come home now!"_ his brother yelled down the phone

"Wait, Al! Is Winry okay-" but the phone had already gone dead.

Panic flooded through him as he placed the receiver back in its tray. After a moment's thought, he pulled a piece of paper towards him and scribbled down a quick note. Then, pulling his jacket around him, he picked up his coat and then ran out of the door. He stopped at reception and handed the note to the receptionist who nodded her head furiously and gaped at him like a goldfish at his hurried tone. He dashed through the doors and ran as fast as he could to the train station. Throwing money down at the ticket office, the clerk pointed that the next train was just leaving and the next one wouldn't be for another hour. Edward quickly replied that he was ready to run and snatched the ticket from the clerk. He dived onto the station where the train was just pulling away and launched himself off the platform, where he caught the rain and climbed over. A few people on the platform cheered but he ignored it and went inside to find a seat.

The carriage was quite full so he ended up standing much to his annoyance. His eyes flicked irritably to the customers who got off at the nearer stations. Those people were slowing his journey down and he needed to be there as soon as possible.

' _...hurry to the nearest doctors...I'll find some spare towels to clean up the blood..."_

He winced as those words rang through his ears. It had sounded like Pinako, yet why was she there? Whose blood needed cleaning up? He grimaced and panic began to grip him again as he wondered if Winry was hurt.

Thankfully, the train ride was quicker than usual, and he was out of the carriage door before the train had come to a complete halt. He skilfully dodged the swarming crowds of people who had engulfed the station and ran through the streets, his mind showing him cruel images of Winry crumpled on the floor and bleeding.

He pushed open the door, noticing that the shop was locked and closed. With his shoes still on, he ran up the flight of stairs and was met by his brother, who put a hushed finger to his lips. Edward panted and was about to ask what was going on, until Al motioned for him to follow him. They walked across the landing and up the next flight of stairs; Edward noticing small blood stains at the bottom of the stairs and on the steps. When they reached the next level, Edward heard hushed voices and low murmurs coming from the bedroom he shared with Winry. He and Al walked over silently and with a glance at his brother, he knocked on the door.

The talking stopped immediately and someone pulled the door open. Edward looked down to see Pinako looking up at him, fear etched on her face. His eyes tore away from the old woman's and to the bed, where a stern woman doctor was looking over a thin figure in the bed. Edward felt his world spin when he saw Winry lie in the stiff white blankets with her eyes closed and a towel on her forehead. Her face was calm but a little hollow, and her hair was swept to one side which didn't shine in the setting sun. He ran to be by her side, muttering 'Winry' as he kneeled down next to the doctor. Beads of sweat clung to her face and Edward was strongly reminded of the way his mother had looked on her deathbed. He shook his head for when he looked closer, he could still see some colour in her cheeks. He reached out and touched her hand, giving it a gently squeeze. She had a small cut near her right eye, and a few bruises on her arms, but other than that, she looked practically unharmed.

"What happened?" he whispered to Pinako who had approached Edward and was standing behind him.

"She fell down the stairs," she said simply. And then with a pause and a brief glance at the doctor, Pinako said in a louder voice so that Al, who was lingering in the doorway could hear too. "Edward; did you know that Winry was with-child?" she whispered.

Edward dropped Winry's hand and stared at her silky white face. He turned his head with his mouth open and looked at Pinako and shook his head. Winry was pregnant? How had that happened? He kicked himself; of course he knew how it had happened, but they had been _quite_ careful. _Bullshit,_ he thought; they were teenagers and their hormones had been out of control. They hadn't once discussed or spared a moment's thoughts about the consequences. Another thought tugged his mind – why hadn't she told him?

Al coughed near the door. "I knew that she was," he said weakly. Everybody in the room bar Winry looked at him. "I figured it out and she told me not to tell anybody until she was ready," he sighed, avoiding Edward's gaze.

After several minutes of silence, Edward turned to the doctor. "Why did she fall down the stairs?" he asked, for it was very unlikely for Winry to be clumsy.

The doctor pushed her round spectacles up her nose. "It is possible that she had severe abdominal pain. Ms Rockbell here told me that she screamed and then collapsed. After a further investigation, it turns out that she was bleeding heavily and...I am afraid Mr Elric...she had a miscarriage," the doctor said, with some level of sympathy in her voice.

Edward felt quite sick. He stood up quickly and ran to the en-suite where he threw up. This was too much for him to take, let alone Winry. After cleaning himself up for a moment, he slowly walked back into the room and caught the end of the conversation.

"...yes I took some swabs and cleaned up and stopped the rest of the bleeding... but this is most certainly a miscarriage."

"How did it happen?" Edward asked uneasily, still feeling sick.

The doctor turned and looked at him. "It can't really be said for there is no real evidence or proof as to what causes a miscarriage. Possible causes are stress, although there is no scientific explanation for his. As you can see, Miss Rockbell here is rather thin, so her diet may have effect that also. I warn you not to blame her for the miss-"

"Don't be stupid; of course we don't blame her!" Edward said loudly, earning a finger to the lips from Pinako.

The doctor packed her things away and made to leave. "She will be out of bed within the week. Make sure she eats plenty and doesn't over-work herself. I warn you that this will have a mental impact upon the young woman, so have patience with her. Good day," and with that, the doctor left.

Pinako shifted her feet. "We shall all take turns watching her tonight, for we don't want her to wake up frightened. Let's go and make some dinner, Al. Ed..." Pinako paused and touched the young man on the arm. "I am so sorry. I had no idea that she was in this state. You can stay and watch over her for a bit. I will come up after you and I'll save you some dinner."

Edward nodded and thanked Pinako and watched her leave the room with his younger brother. He sat down on the edge of the bed and pulled off his military boots and pushed them under the bed. Then, he took off his military uniform and changed into more comfortable clothing and then pulled a chair from across the room to her bed side. After a moment or two of staring at her peaceful face, he rested his elbows on the mattress, leaning his head into his hands and rubbed his temples with his thumbs. He bit his lip, but that didn't stop the few tears that leaked from his eyes.

Transmutation circles flashed through his mind but he knew that they would cause more pain than do any good.

*

Light streamed through the windows and everything seemed strangely white. Winry forced her eyes open and found herself propped up in bed surrounded by pillows and blankets. She shifted a little and realised that somebody was holding her hand. Looking down, she saw Edward's head on the mattress facing her with his eyes tightly closed and one of his hands enclosing her own. She frowned and wondered why he wasn't sleeping next to her until she remembered the indescribable pain and the horrible sensation of falling. She glanced at her arms as saw that they were covered in bruises.

Edward stirred and looked up, his eyes widening when he realised she was awake. "How are you feeling?" he asked, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

Winry looked at him curiously. "Yeah, I am fine I think...Why were you sleeping there?" she asked.

He rubbed his eyes with his other hand. "Sorry, I was supposed to be watching you, but I haven't slept all night," he admitted.

She smiled weakly at him and then remembered why she had been avoiding his presence recently. Her stomach dropped as her eyes lingered over him. It was now or never. "Edward...there's something I need to tell you..." she whispered.

Edward turned to look at her and sat up straight. "It's fine Winry; we can talk later," he suggested, knowing exactly what she was going to say.

"I'm sorry, but I've been too afraid to tell you and worried and, hell, I am scared!" she said hysterically. Edward got up and placed a hand on her shoulder and kissed her on the cheek.

"Granny's still here. She'll want to see you", he breathed.

Winry opened her mouth to protest but he was already striding out of the room. Panic flooded through her – had Alphonse told him?

Edward knocked quietly on the guest bedroom door. After a few short moments, Pinako answered who was already dressed. "Is she awake?" she asked, putting her round glasses on her nose.

He nodded. "But she doesn't really know what happened, so that means she doesn't know about..." he trailed off, his eyes floating towards the bedroom door.

"I understand. I will tell her, Edward. Why don't you wake Al and make breakfast together?" she said.

Thanking her gratefully, he went into his brother's room and prodded him awake. They went downstairs together, both pausing on the landing when they heard an anguished cry come from the bedroom. Edward continued to move downstairs, trying to block out her sobs that were now raging through the house, his brother close behind him.

"How long did you know?" Edward asked quietly as he flipped the eggs in the frying pan.

Al looked up from the grill where he was cooking some toast. "I figured it out nearly five weeks ago, although I wasn't certain until Winry got her results back from the doctor," he said in a strained voice.

There was a silence as they continued cooking. "Al...I'm not mad at you, okay? And I'm not mad at Winry either...it just annoys me that she didn't tell me sooner," he muttered.

"I know brother, but it was Winry's decision. I encouraged her to tell you as soon as she knew for definite..."

Once the breakfast was ready, Edward set a tray and headed upstairs with the food for Winry. His feet felt like lead as he climbed the stairs and then he stood still as he reached the landing. Her cries had stopped, although he could her muffled sobs. Grimacing, he walked to the door and gently knocked. Pinako called for him to enter, so he pushed open the door lightly with his automail foot.

Winry was lying down with her back to him and her head was smothered in her pillow. Pinako rose from the side of the bed and pressed a light hand to Edward's wrist when she passed. He noted the old woman's anguish on her face even though she tried to hide it, and Edward felt incredibly nervous. He placed the tray down on the bedside table and then sat on the edge of the bed and looked at the young woman who had her knees tucked up to her chest under the duvet.

He silently studied her face and noticed how her puffy eyes stared off a little wide and unblinking in the distance. They held none of the sparkle he always saw, but were misty, blank and red. Her mouth was open a little, and her face was cracked with dried tears and her skin was pale. Both of her hands were under the duvet and Edward assumed that they were pressed against a certain area of her body. He glanced down and saw that even though Pinako had just changed the sheets; small drops of blood were already seeping through into the material.

"It's all my fault..." she whispered through her parched lips. Edward snapped his head up and looked at her with concern. He gently reached out and placed a calming hand on her waist. Her eyes darted to him for a moment and she acknowledged his presence for the first time.

"Ed..." she breathed before coughing and bringing a hand to cover her mouth. She stared at her hand for a moment, and then curled it into a fist and snapped her eyes closed as tears spilled out.

Edward moved closer and ran his left hand through her yellow hair. She bit her lip and then spoke very quietly. "I should have told you..."

"No, no; it's fine Winry. I can understand-" he started, but she cut him off.

"You don't understand, Ed, not this time," she whispered. "We both know this baby was an accident and I didn't want it...I got my wish on that part I guess...I never wanted to lose it though...I had just come to terms with it and felt happy, and then another thing has been snatched away from me...and you..." she shifted and buried her face in the pillow. "I wish there was something I could do...turn back time and look after myself...and the baby..."

Edward forced his gaze away from his face as he felt a lump in his throat.

"It was inside me, Ed...It was growing. It was a part of me...how the hell do I carry on knowing that I killed what we created?" she hissed.

"You didn't-" Edward started, his eyes widening.

"Yes I fucking did!" she screamed, sitting up suddenly. She breathed heavily, her chest rising and falling angrily. "I told you that I didn't want this baby and now it's gone! It's like a goddamn curse," she yelled, her hands curling into balls of fists, tears now falling from her eyes. She glared at Edward angrily and then her gaze dropped to the sheets where she saw thick blood forming again on the sheets.

Panicking, she tried to climb out of bed to escape Edward's quiet presence and the crimson blood that was forming around her. However, Edward gently placed his hands on her shoulders, forcing her to lie back down. With piercing glares, Winry kicked and screamed until Edward had to let go, tearing out of the room and calling for Pinako who came rushing in.

Her agonising cries followed Edward out of the room as she screamed his name and restrained against her small grandmother, who simply bit her lip, stuck her jaw out and slapped Winry lightly across the wrist.

Grimacing, Edward ran out of the house, picking up his long brown coat as he did so. He walked quickly down the street, trying to block out Winry's screams. He squeezed his eyes together as he walked with his hands deep in his pockets down the streets of Dublith. He begged the tears that stung his eyes to vanish, yet seeing Winry like that and in so much pain had shocked him and he felt scared and almost alone. He couldn't fail and let Winry see him loose his resolve over her pain – it would hurt her even more and he knew that he had hurt her enough.

Without realising it, his feet had stopped moving and he was hovering outside a small shop. His eyes traced the letters 'MEAT' before gently pushing the door open and letting the bell announce his arrival. The shop was empty except for the woman with dreadlocks who looked up at the entrance. She was cutting up a pork leg, but instantly stopped when she noticed the blond hair and striking golden eyes.

"Ed! Why haven't you come to visit me? You think I don't know that you..." Izumi's bold words faltered when she took in his dulled eyes that were a little red and his glum exterior. "What's happened...?" she asked as she slipped away from the counter, pulling her apron off as she did so.

He stood there hopelessly for a few moments and shrugged his shoulders, trying to keep a straight face as he stared at the floor desperately. He opened his mouth every now and again, until he felt his teacher's arms around his shoulders giving him a hug he would have imagined his mother to have given as he felt his body weaken to emotion.

*

Izumi looked at the large house as the sun began to fall from the sky; the stars replacing the light. Edward quietly opened the door and shuffled inside. Her husband, Sig placed a steady hand on her shoulder and she breathed deeply knowing full well that the words she would exchange with the young woman would arise painful memories of her own. After they silently climbed another flight of stairs, Edward quietly knocked on a bedroom door. After a moment, a small woman opened the door, and Izumi vaguely remembered this being the person who had raised her two apprentices when they were younger. Pinako took in Izumi's appearance and then nodded. Izumi followed Edward into the darkening room and looked at the bed as they approached as she took in the girl's appearance. Winry was propped up in a sitting position with pillows stuffed behind her back, her hair tied into a loose pony-tail around her shoulders. Her eyes followed Edward as he approached the bed.

Almost gingerly, he touched her hand. "Winry; this is Izumi, my teacher. I think it would be good if you two talked..." he said.

A confused expression clouded Winry's face as she looked at Izumi, remembering the woman in the doctor's waiting room. "I remember you," she whispered weakly.

Izumi glanced at Edward, noticing that he held her hand tightly with his head bowed. She cleared her throat. "Ed; why doesn't Sig show you how to cook some fresh meat...they way you used to eat it when you were younger, yes?"

He nodded and reluctantly let go of Winry's hand, kissing her longingly on the top of her head. She blinked and a few tears fell from her eyes as he turned away, and gently closing the door behind him as Sig waited in the hallway.

There were several moments of silence, before Izumi pulled a chair up and sat down at Winry's bedside.

"Do you know why I am here, Winry?" she asked gently, studying the young woman's pale face.

Her dull blue eyes locked with hers and she slowly shook her head.

Izumi exhaled and glanced around the room. This was not going to be easy. "I know what it feels like to lose a child," she said simply.

Winry's eyes filled for a moment and then widened and gave Izumi a once over. "You do?" She whispered.

The woman nodded her dreadlocked head and then gently told the story of her pain and suffering. "My young child died not long after it was born. I held that child in my arms and watched the life slowly fade away from him. People will empathise with you, but you feel like nobody can understand. Sig and I had tried for children for many years, so it was heartbreaking to have him taken away so cruelly and suddenly. Although your news of your child was only brief, I know that you had already formed an attachment to that child within you...its natural," Izumi spoke smoothly with tenderness in her voice. She was holding onto Winry hand for reassurance as they spoke. I then did the unthinkable and gathered all of my research together and did the same thing Ed and Al did – I tried to bring my little boy back and Winry, I know that Edward was thinking about transmutation circles when I met him today, just like I was when I decided to resurrect my child...I know that when you realise that it's gone, you want to do everything except accept the truth...Winry, no matter what you may think: this is not your fault," Izumi concluded. "But, unlike you, because of my dabbling in transmutation, I am no longer able to have children. You still have the chance of being able to," Izumi said softly, her eyes brimmed with compassionate tears. "You're a strong girl, I can see that. And both you and Ed can be strong together...you'll see."

Biting her lip, Winry suddenly hugged the her and Izumi hugged her tightly back. They pulled away, and Winry whispered her thanks. Izumi shook it off "its fine. Edward, as usual, had a wonderful idea for us to discuss this, and I daresay that you feel a little better?"

Winry nodded, but then her face saddened again. "Is he angry at me? Ed stormed out earlier and I'm not sure why..." she asked, her eyes trailing to the door.

Izumi followed her gaze, knowing that he was on the other side, waiting patiently. "He's not angry at you, my dear. He's worried about you, and he has been for the past month. You must understand Winry that you are one of the most important things in his life, and to see you distressed as he stands by completely hopeless, has really thrown him off," she muttered.

Izumi got up and stretched. "You must be hungry," she said and the smiled when Winry shyly nodded. "That's alright; I can smell my husband's delicious cooking!" and with that, she walked out of the room. The door opened a second later and Edward walked in with a bowl of soup in his hands.

Edward gently placed the bowl of beef soup on the bedside table, only to find, a hand touching his. He looked up and sat down slowly on the bed. Suddenly, Winry moved closer to him and wrapped her arms around him, resting her head on his chest. He carefully wrapped his arms around her, placing one hand on her head, letting his fingers run through her hair that was threatening to fall out of her hair tie. She squeezed him a little and then kissed his neck and then buried her face in his shoulder. He held her tighter and whispered gently in her ear:

"I will always be here for you... _always_... and I will never blame you for anything like this...I love you, Winry, don't forget that..."

She bit her lip and looked up at him. "You don't blame me?" she whispered shakily.

"Never" was the response she got before his warm and reassuring lips brushed her own


	18. Rainbow

The days moulded into one another as the rain continued to pour from the skies, occasionally assisted with wind and then sometimes thunder. The southern land was weeping with pleasure as the rain fell on the cracked streets and dusty grounds – their thirsts now clenched. Although after the monotonous downpour lasting well over two weeks; the people of Dublith were waking up each morning and pulling back the curtains with a glimmer of hope in their stomach to see if the sun had defeated the alluring clouds, only to find that another day would be spent under the dark and grey sky.

Some would call it pathetic fallacy. Others would call it irony.

Winry bit her lip and surveyed the street before her that was shrouded in rain. She closed the door to the 'MEAT' shop behind her, a paper bag in her arm. A small breeze filtered through the bullets of rain, making goose bumps rise on Winry's bear arms. Realising that getting wet was inevitable as she remembered that her coat was hanging up in the workroom, Winry folded the top of the paper bag over to ensure the contents would endeavour to remain dry. She stepped out through the curtain of rain from the dry safety of the porch of the butcher's shop and sprinted into the cool droplets as she hugged the paper bag close to her chest.

Even though the rain battered her skin as she splashed through puddles making her bare legs drenched in the cool water yet a small smile lightly skimmed her lips. It had been five months since her miscarriage and now she felt even better than before. Her recovery had been more of a mental battle rather than a physical one but she had willed herself to continue as normal and as soon as possible. Even though she had been eager to work hard and block out her suffering, Edward had sternly told her to keep herself occupied but not too busy that it shouldn't even border on stress. Admittedly, Winry had been reluctant at first but with a few pokes from Alphonse as well, she relaxed a little and was always joining the two brothers for dinner and going to bed on time. She had only ever pulled one 'all-nighter', and that had been straight after her miscarriage and had thus prompted Edward's said words.

The rain was completely drenching her but at this particular moment in time, she didn't care and continued to run in it, rather than be sensible and take shelter. Winry was about a half of the way home when she suddenly stopped in the street and saw the time on the town's clock tower. After a moment of thought she ran off in the opposite direction of the Dublith townhouse. Winry chuckled to herself at her sudden impulse as she headed in the direction of the train station.

A happy memory played in her mind as she revelled in her precarious happiness. The last time she was this happy was when Al had somehow gone to the trouble of throwing Edward and Winry a joint eighteenth birthday party, It was only a small celebration with guests from the town and a few military personnel, which took place on the shop floor. Winry had been in her jumpsuit covered with oil and Edward was in his military uniform. It had been the typical clichéd surprise party; with the guests calling 'surprise' as soon as Edward and Winry stepped through the threshold onto the shop floor. Al had naturally been ready with the camera and had taken a wonderful photograph of their shocked faces, which now had pride of place on the shelf above the fireplace. Winry and Edward had only been born a few weeks apart and eighteen was a significant age in Amestris – the age where you were legally an adult.

Thinking that no other part of her body could get any wetter with the persistent rain, Winry dived under the shelter at the train station and breathed deeply. A few people looked at her with mild surprise as they opened their umbrellas and casually stepped out into the rain. She heard the train arrive and gathered more energy and thus ran onto the platform. As the train came to a halt, numerous carriage doors opened and people flooded out. Eventually she saw a flash of golden hair through the dull coloured crowd and gracefully made her way through, skilfully dodging the people with their own important destinations. Thankfully they tried to avoid Winry because she was so wet, which made reaching her target slightly easier. Winry laughed when he spotted her running towards him with a dumbfounded look on his face. He wore his military uniform underneath his iconic red coat, which looked slightly uncomfortable. The distance between them closed and Winry ran into Edward, almost knocking him down.

"Winry, what are you doing here? You're soaking wet!" he exclaimed, holding her shoulders.

She simply smiled and reached up and kissed him, ignoring the mutterings of passers-by. Winry pulled away and observed him and the pink tinge on his cheeks. She laughed again and slid her free hand in his. "I came to meet you, didn't I? You've been in Central for two weeks and I've missed you," she said, and that was that - it couldn't be simpler.

As they made their way out of the station, Edward pulled free of Winry's hand and shrugged off his coat and placed it over her shoulders. They then ran together in the rain to their house in Dublith and when they were both through the front door they took their shoes and coats off and smiled at each other. Edward leaned down and kissed her wet lips, and Winry responded by wrapping her arms around his neck.

He laughed softly against her face. "There's got to be more to why you're so happy, Win," he said.

Winry said nothing and removed her arms from his neck and ran them through her wet hair distractedly. "I'll tell you later", she beamed and made her way up the stairs with Edward hot on her heels.

All through dinner and the evening, Edward begged her to tell him but she merely smiled and shook her head saying that she would _'tell you later'_. Even though he was desperate to know, he revealed in her amusing secrecy and cherished each smile that graced her face. He hadn't seen her happy for quite a while. Even of the news was something that was of no interest to him (such as a new automail part), he would still be happy that the past was behind them and she was moving on gracefully with optimism shining in her eyes.

She was fiery Winry Rockbell again; now he knew. She was the girl he had fallen in love with all those years ago without realising it. He noticed this as her face lit up when he spoke to her and her smiles on her face was genuine. Her laughter filled the whole house again, and she retorted in arguments again and refused to believe she was wrong on the simple matter of how long it took to boil a pan of water.

After they had eaten dinner and read in a companionable silence with Al in the living room (Al reading a book on Biology, Winry a book on Automail and Edward a book on Alchemy), Winry stretched and bade everyone goodnight and headed upstairs.

Not long after her, Edward followed, leaving his brother pouring over another thick biology book. He entered the bedroom and found it dark with only the streets lamps from the town outside allowing patches of light into the room. Winry's silhouette was sat on the bed with her back turned to him. He wondered over and was taken back when he saw a glistening tear fall from her eyes.

"Winry!" he exclaimed and sat down beside her on the soft bed. "Why are you crying?" he asked gently, with some strain in his voice. Oh how he hated to see her cry... He took her warm hands in his own.

Blinking, Winry looked up at him and shrugged, giving him a crooked smile. "I was just foolishly remembering what happened all those months ago...knowing that today I can finally move on completely". She took a shuddering breath and the tears stopped. "I am just so happy," she whispered.

Edward pressed his automail thumb against her soft cheeks and wiped away the remaining tears. "You idiot...what is that has made you this happy that you're crying?" he muttered gently.

Taking a deep breath, Winry turned to him and spoke quietly. "Today I went to see the doctor for a check-up and a few tests and – and-..." she sighed and the smiled. "Dr Atwood said that there is no permanent damage to me and...I can still have children."

Edward's amber eyes were wide as he stared at her through the darkness. Even though knowledge in biology science was advancing quicker than ever before, there was a limited expertise as to whether Winry would conceive successfully again. Although they were in no rush for children, Edward felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders and he had no doubt that Winry felt the same.

Surprisingly, Edward felt two tears spring to his eyes. Winry chuckled quietly and wiped them away and kissed his cheek. "Dr Atwood also checked me over thoroughly and confirmed that we can...you know..." Winry's face had turned a deep shade of pink. She thought that Edward's eyes were going to pop out as they widened further. She quickly placed a finger to his lips as he leant in to kiss her. "That means safely, you know!" she said, pretending to be shocked.

Pulling her finger away, Edward nodded and kissed her passionately, pushing her gently down on the bed; his kisses down her neck and along her body leaving fiery imprints as they both began to remember who the other was after six months of uncertainty and anxiety.

Edward awoke the next morning to find himself shivering and instinctively curled up into a ball. He realised then that there was no duvet cover and that he was naked, so he jumped out of bed and quickly pulled on a pair of boxers. He then scratched his head and looked up as he saw Winry at the window.

She had the whole duvet cover wrapped around; one shoulder bare and exposed as the rest of her body remaining warm under the thick cover, the spare duvet trailing on the wooden floor. Winry was looking out of the window with a smile on her face. Edward approached her from behind and as his lips brushed her shoulder, she shivered a little.

"What are you looking at?" he murmured against her silky knotted hair.

After a moment of silence she spoke quietly. "The rain has stopped...look over there-" she pointed with her hand poking out from the duvet – "a rainbow is hanging over Dublith...". Winry smiled wider as she gazed up at the sky. Edward followed her gaze and basked in the glorious sun that was triumphantly shining through the clouds.


	19. Grey

It was unusual to be home alone, yet here Edward sat by himself in the living room. He grimaced a little as bullets of rain hammered against the windows and the grandfather clock in the hallway ticked impatiently. He didn't like not doing anything. He always had to be doing something and yet there was nothing to do and nobody to see. For once, the paperwork had been finished as he had been forced out of work as the Southern Headquarters were undergoing a thorough redecoration. He had two paid weeks off that wouldn't count as his leave and was unsure what to do. As if that wasn't bad enough, Winry had closed her shop to spend the week making home visits to her patients and also was looking around the town for the best place to open a second shop. And of course, his brother was at school and was actively and enthusiastically staying behind classes to do extra work.

Admittedly, the first two days had been nice and relaxing: he could stay in bed until the early afternoon and stay up even later reading into the early hours of the morning. His body clock was uneven only after two days, but this had lead to a disadvantage – he had run out of things to do.

It was on the third evening of his days off that he decided to follow Winry up to bed, rather than stay up late again. He climbed into the large white sheets where Winry was already curled up with her back to him. He sighed overdramatically and pulled the covers over himself. He glanced at Winry and then sighed again, in hope of getting her attention, but still she didn't move.

He then huffed and threw his arms down on the mattress so the bed wobbled a little. This made her tick, and he knew it and thus felt a sense of triumph when she responded irritably.

"Oh what is it Ed?" she snapped into her pillow.

"Winry, I am just so bored!" he said slightly exasperated.

She rolled over and turned to face him, her eyes surrounded by the sleep that was desperate to consume her. "Bored? What right now?" she asked her eyes narrowing due to suspicion not by sleep.

He smiled and kissed her forehead. "Of course not... It's just during the day...these weeks off are dragging so slowly. There is nothing to do in the house – I have read all of the books here, except Al's." He looked down at her. "Hey, are you listening?" he asked when he saw her eyes closed.

"Of course I am," she replied smoothly. "Well read some of Al's books then. That will give you something to do, if you want to read so much...if not then buy a newspaper and read that...or I could give you some of my automail-"

"Alright I get the idea. Admittedly I would like to see what has got hold of Al's attention. Oh and I have been buying newspapers but I don't believe that crap that's written in them..."

"Oh, how so?" Winry responded politely yet sleepily.

"Well in the tabloids, I am seen as a figure to spread rumours about. In the one yesterday, they made me out like I was some sort of Casanova!" he exclaimed, getting annoyed for no real reason.

That made Winry's eyes open. "And why would they say that, Ed?" she asked coldly.

"Oh Win, don't be silly – you know they just make that stuff up. I swear I read an article in there the other day about Mustang secretly hosting an underground society for...never mind!" He finished quickly with the curious glares being thrown his way. "My point is that when I have finished Al's books I will still be bored. And there is no way in hell that I am reading your automail stuff," he concluded.

The blonde woman sighed and lay on her back, staring at the canopy above. "Well I am sure I can find something for you to do. Now if you don't mind Ed, I really need to get some sleep...I am seeing one of my most intolerable customers tomorrow," she said and closed her eyes.

Edward leaned over the side of the bed and turned the light out and then lay back down and wrapped his arms around Winry. "You're not talking about hard labour, are you?" he asked into her shoulder.

He felt her sigh. "No Ed, now go to sleep," she yawned.

Then next morning, Winry left Edward in bed again and set off to the other side of town and would be un-contactable for the whole day. He lazily got up again and then had a relaxing shower before making his way downstairs and rustling up some breakfast.

It was then that he noticed the small note on the kitchen table.

With a hair tie in his mouth and his hands raised behind his head to plait his hair, Edward cautiously walked over to the small piece of paper with neat curly handwriting. It was a small list of jobs to do from Winry:

_Ed,_

_Don't stay in bed too long and don't forget to eat. Right, you said you wanted something to do so here are some things that can be done. You can't phone the client's house I am at today so you can figure things out for yourself. I am sure it will be time well spent. Anyway please can you;_

_-do the washing up_

_-sweep the floors_

_\- clean the toilets_

_-oil our bedroom door_

_-take out the rubbish bin_

_-do the laundry_

_I'll be back a little later tonight, but Al said that he will cook. Have fun and I'll see you later, snore-head._

_Win x_

He read through the list several times before he digested what it had said. He had to admit that even though he had helped save the country from unknown extermination; he didn't know how to clean a toilet or do the laundry. Although he smiled at the thought of Winry coming home to find all of the chores done and therefore cooking Ed his favourite meal as a reward, made him determined to figure things out.

Placing the note down, he turned to the sink where a few plates and bowls were lying idle. He smiled smugly and pulled up his shirt sleeves up to his elbows and turned the tap where the bowl started to fill up quickly. He dipped his hands in and then quickly whipped them out, as the water was scolding hot. Puffing his cheeks, he caught the chain of the plug and pulled it, making the water drain away slowly. He then gingerly put his hands back in and placed the plug back to stop anymore water escaping, and turned on the cold tap. He waited impatiently for the sink to fill of now cold water. Squeaking the tap off, he placed the tips of his fingers into the water and then searched with his eyes for the dish cloth.

He swore under his breath when he realised that he hadn't put any washing up liquid in the water. He grabbed the bottle, flicked the top open, tilted it upside down and squeezed; a thick blue liquid colliding with the water below. He pulled the bottle the right way up and dumped it on the side and then shook his hands in the water to create bubbles. Sighing, he grabbed the dishcloth and washed the plates up in cold water.

Edward had realised that already too much time had been spent on the washing up, so he left them to dry on the draining rack, his now cold hand hurrying to find a towel to dry them. One was casually slung over a chair. He walked over and rubbed his hands together with the material in a desperate hope to warm his flesh hand.

Feeling satisfied that the job was done, if not somewhat delayed by a sudden lack of logic, Ed turned to the list and picked up a pen next to it. He happily ticked off the first item on the list and read through the next one.

This one was easy. Edward rubbed his hands together and headed to the cupboard under the stairs where the broom was kept. Feeling in a good mood and feeling quite content after his washing-up slip-up, he switched on the radio in the lounge and found himself humming as he swept the floors; leaving a nice pile of rubbish and dust on the landing. He waltzed into the dining room and kneeled down to sweep under the table and chairs, then dancing lightly as he swept the rubbish back through the lounge and onto the landing where his nice pile was gathering.

Two steps at a time, Edward raced up to the top floor with the broom tight in his hand and began sweeping every bedroom and bathroom, still doing a small dance and leaving his messy findings in one neat pile in the hallway. The music buzzed through the house, drowning out the rain nailing against the windows and the floorboards shuddered to the bass of the tune. Ed had swept up every room and then turned to his younger brother's room and pushed open the door.

He stopped in his tracks and felt the rhythm of the music leave him. Right in front of him on Al's desk, was the helmet of the suit of armour which had once contained Al's soul. The broom in his hand clattered to the floorboards and he tentatively stepped forward and picked it up in his hands.

The room was dark and somewhat cold, so when his fingers touched the cool metal, it came as a shock for him to remember how frozen his younger brother had lived. He turned his head to see the rest of the suit of armour handing on a stand. The grey suit looked almost black in the dark room and for reasons held deep within him, Edward could almost hear his younger brother's voice squeak out of it. He walked towards the suit, wondering why his younger brother was displaying it in his room, and why the helmet had been on the desk.

With his right hand, Edward reached out and touched to cool metal with own metal fingers, where they traced along the pointed breast plate and across numerous scratches. He pulled his fingers away, trying to block out his younger brother's screams from that night so many years ago. He lifted the helmet up and placed it on top of the armour where it sat perfectly, like it had done for years before. He reluctantly turned away and quickly swept his brother's room, but his eyes kept darting to the suit, as if he was expecting his younger brother's voice to emerge any second and point out to him that he had missed a spot on the floor.

Once everything had been swept off the floor, Edward took one last look at the dark armour on the wall and closed the door quietly behind him. It wasn't long before another song came on the radio downstairs, and he was dancing with the broom again. He swept all of the dust and rubbish into his pile and then hunted around the house for a dustpan and brush. Once successfully finding one in Winry's utility cupboard, he cleaned up his piles of rubbish and plonked them in the large bin in the kitchen.

Edward glanced at the list on the kitchen counter top and felt his heart sink when he read ' _clean the toilets_ '.

That was the last thing he wanted to do. Not only that, but he hated to admit that he didn't know how exactly to clean a toilet. Being the stubborn and determined young man that he is, Edward marched upstairs and headed to the main bathroom which was used by staying guests and his brother.

He tentatively lifted up the toilet seat.

He peered down.

It was moderately clean.

Feeling his eyebrows rise, he leaned in closer and realised that just because it looked clean didn't mean that it was clean. He puffed his cheeks and grabbed the toilet brush next to the toilet. He then began scrubbing with the brush along the bowl of the toilet, deciding that this was probably how you clean a toilet.

He then remembered a little something called a 'toilet cleaner'.

Swearing, he left the brush in the toilet and raced downstairs to the cupboard under the stairs where he searched through the maze of cleaning materials. Eventually he found a bottle clearly marked as 'toilet cleaner' and ran back up the stairs, taking two at a time. He knelt down at the toilet bowl and poured in a great deal of thick blue liquid into the toilet. Edward then got the scrubber again and continued to clean, the disinfectant odour filling his nostrils and making him feel slightly queasy.

One toilet down, two to go.

He then went on to do exactly the same with the toilet in Edward and Winry's en-suite. This time he decided that opening a window may help ease the fumes of the cleaning substance. He poured more blue liquid into the toilet and scrubbed. Once he was satisfied that the toilet was cleaned he went down to the ground floor where there was a toilet behind the shop floor for customers to use in emergencies. He grimaced a little when he saw that there was no window, so decided to clean this toilet exceptionally quickly, and left some blue liquid in the, in the hope that it might help clean it without the scrubbing.

Rubbing his neck and slandering his way back into the kitchen, Edward peered over at the note, and happily crossed out ' _clean the toilets'_. The next job would be simple and easy – oiling the bedroom door.

He made his way down to the shop floor and searched around behind the counter for some oil. He didn't like poking around the shop or workrooms often because it wasn't his territory and he just knew that if he put something back in the wrong place, then it would infuriate Winry. He peeked into her dark office and flicked the light on. Thankfully, a small can of oil was sitting neatly on her desk, which couldn't be missed. He picked it up curiously and wondered if Winry had left it out especially for him.

Oiling the door was easy – he had helped Al oil is armour a few years ago and occasionally had to oil his automail, when he remembered. He carefully poured a little oil onto each of the hinges on the door and tested the door out by wafting it backwards and forwards. One the squeaking was gone; he merrily oiled his automail arm by carefully sitting on the floor. He decided that since the oil was here, he may as well make Winry even happier by maintaining his own automail.

His happiness was somewhat dampened when he crossed off the tasks on the list and read the final one: ' _do the laundry'_.

Edward had just spent quite a bit of money on buying a top of the range washing machine for Winry, since she was mentioning that the one they used to own wasn't working particularly well. Edward had looked at the large drum-shaped machine where the clothes were deposited through the top and then would be span around and washed clean.

He found himself staring at the contraption now.

For someone so interested in science and understanding how things worked, this machine cast an aurora of mystery upon him. Sure, Edward knew how it worked and what it did but he didn't know how to use it himself. He found some biological washing powder on the floor next to it but couldn't find out where to put it. After walking around and poking the machine several times, he decided to pour the powder into the drum. Surely that would work?

Edward scratched his head. He was half tempted to ring Riza Hawkeye – maybe she knew how to work these things? But then he decided against it...if the Furher found out, then there would be no living it down. Deciding that he wanted to get the job done, he grabbed a stack of clothes from the laundry basket and threw them into the machine. It swallowed them up easily. He then poured a little more biological powder in on top of the clothes and closed the lid. Edward then stared at the knobs on the machine, trying to figure out which setting to put it on. He experimented with a few and then decided that the one labelled 'full load' would suffice. He pressed the 'on' button, and the machine slowly creaked to life.

*

Winry came home later that evening to find Al already retiring to bed and Edward sprawled out asleep on the sofa in the living room. She put her bags down on the coffee table and quickly cooked herself an omelette. She cracked the eggs into a pan and they began to cook as she stirred them around. When she flipped the omelette, her eyes found the list she constructed earlier on that day. She looked over it and smiled when she saw that all of the chores had been crossed out, but one had been crossed out quite vigorously. Many dented scribbles covered what once said ' _do the laundry'_.

Imaging a stream of humorous events in which Edward did the washing, she tucked into her cheese omelette, thinking nothing more about it.

It was only when she awoke the next morning did she panic.

Edward found himself being shaken roughly awake by Winry. He squinted at her through his sleepy and sand-encrusted eyes.

"Ed! What have you _done_?" she cried. "What am I supposed to do?!"

Edward rubbed his eyes and sat up. "I haven't done nothin'" he mumbled.

She clicked her tongue and started pacing around the room, still in her nightdress. "Oh yes you have. You did the laundry yesterday right?" she snapped.

He grimaced, suddenly feeling much more awake. How could he forget that horrible machine? "Yeah I did, 'cause you asked me to," he replied.

Winry sucked a breath through her teeth. Edward winced – this wasn't going to be good for whenever she did that, it meant she was really angry.

"You...you didn't take the washing out once it had finished and left it in there. Thankfully, because the metal is so warm, most of the clothes were dry already so I went down there just now to find some clean underwear and a clean blouse and what do I find?" she asked, her pacing now ceasing.

Deciding that an incomprehensive answer would be the best option, he made a small noise in the back of this throat, to show that he had heard her.

"Look!" she cried. And with that Winry pulled out her once white blouse that she usually wore for work. It was now a very dark grey. Then she pulled out a pair of Ed's black trousers from behind her too.

"Common sense Ed! You don't put light colours and dark clothes together, otherwise the colours mix and this happens!"

Edward got up and tried to comfort her, although he couldn't see what all of the fuss was about. "I'm really sorry Win-" he began.

"Not only did you do that Ed, but you did not wash any of my underwear! I don't have any clean underwear to put on today! What am I supposed to do?" Now she was shaking.

"Did you check the machine? In case they are still in there?" he asked tentatively. Although now he thought about it, he didn't remember putting any of Winry's underwear in the wash.

"Yes," she mumbled.

Edward grabbed her hand and dragged her down stairs to the washing machine in the basement. He opened up the lid and rummaged around, almost falling in the machine himself. He sighed angrily when sure enough; he couldn't find a clean pair for her.

"You're right Winry...I can't see any. I am so sorry. Although..." an idea had just struck Edward. He leaned back into the machine and pulled out a pair of his clean boxers. True they used to be white but they too were now grey. Personally he like the colour change and passed them to Winry.

"Wear those," he said, smiling. "It's better than nothing I guess, although I wouldn't complain if you wore nothing-"

She reached forward and snatched them out of his hand. She stepped into them with her jaw clenched and pulled them up underneath her nightdress. Surprisingly, they fit around the waist.

"These will have to do," she muttered, and lifted the bottom of her nightdress to see what they looked like.

Winry hated to admit it but the men's boxers were quite comfortable...except for the baggy part at the front. It was decided from then on, as Edward burst into laughter, that Winry would do the laundry every time from now on.


	20. Fortitude

Neither of them had been much for petty celebrations: birthdays were acknowledged and celebrated by others and the same went for anniversaries and commercial public holidays. However Edward and Winry both preferred a quiet night in reading and relaxing together, carefully acknowledging the specific occasion at the time, and maybe opening a bottle of wine only to fall asleep after a few glasses. None the less, Edward had always kept one date in his mind from when he was younger – the date of which was etched furiously into his State pocket watch.

Winry had noticed the infamous silver pocket watch lying open on Edward's bedside table a few days before the date mentioned inside it. She could hear Edward moving around the living room below so decided to look closer at it. It was indeed strange for him to be leaving it lying around, but what was even stranger was that there seemed to be a few new scratches that were attempting to cover the grooves of the numbers and letters added many years ago. She gently touched the new scratches with her fingertips before snapping the watch shut and thrusting it into her jumpsuit pocket near her chest.

Edward looked up when she entered the living room. He was sat quite relaxed in one of the armchairs with a book hanging casually in his hands. He smiled as she approached but it began to fade as he saw the blank look on her face.

"Ed, is something up?" Winry asked unexpectedly.

Edward closed his book and put it on the table beside him. "Of course not, I'm fine," he replied, smiling slightly.

She pulled out the pocket watch from her pocket and dangled it in front of him and watched has his smile slowly disappeared.

"Is this bothering you?" she asked quietly. "I noticed that it was open on your table..."

"The date is this Saturday you know," he replied darkly.

Winry sighed and kneeled in front of him. "I know Ed, but you can't keep torturing yourself like this," she whispered looking earnestly into his eyes. Still nobody else knew about the watch, not even Al.

"I'm not trying to," he sighed, rubbing his forehead. "So I've decided that we should do something on Saturday," he said looking at her.

"Oh, like what?" Winry asked curiously.

Edward took a deep breath. "Well you know that new restaurant that has opened in South City? I thought we could go there for a meal...to celebrate the future," he smiled.

"You mean the restaurant run by Amestris' most renown chef?" Winry whispered, her eyes lighting up.

Edward nodded beaming at her. "I've booked the train tickets but I haven't booked a table yet-"

"You'll need to book a table, Ed," Winry cut in smoothly. "Lots of famous people go there so I'm sure it will be busy...a reservation is needed."

They agreed that Winry would get Edward a nice fancy suit and a formal gown for her to wear for the meal on Saturday and Edward would make the reservation for the table at the restaurant. Unfortunately, it had completely slipped Edward's mind, only remembering on the Friday. He shrugged on his way back from work as he sat on the train thinking that a reservation probably wasn't needed; but still, he wasn't going to tell Winry that. However, he had managed to book a hotel room for them to stay the Saturday night in, rather than travelling back in the evening on one of the horribly late trains that were never on time and hadn't been cleaned.

He left a leaflet for the award-winning hotel on Winry's desk in her shop with a small note: ' _here is the small holiday I promised you over a year ago...sorry it's not much, Ed_ '. He heard her squeal in surprise on the Friday morning when he was just leaving to catch his train to work. She dashed out of the office and into the hallway where Edward was just pulling open the front door. Winry ran into him and threw her arms around her neck, giving him many kisses which he had to pull away from in order to catch his train on time.

As Saturday arrived, Edward woke up lazily to find that Winry was still asleep next to him. He loved it when they woke up together and it was usually Winry who was up and about first. He looked over at her; her long yellow hair all over the thick white pillows, her face tranquil and her breathing steady. She wore one of his old white shirts which was riding up at the side. Edward moved some strands of hair covering her flushed face and kissed her cheeks. She stirred and sleepily opened her eyes sighing deeply and contently.

"You know, you always look the most beautiful in the morning," he said kissing her.

She chuckled and kissed him back. "I know you are lying, Ed," she smiled, reaching up to touch his long golden hair.

They eventually got up and dressed and began to pack. Their train wasn't until the afternoon, but by the time they had actually got up and had some lunch, it was well past midday. Winry began rushing around the bedroom packing a suitcase muttering that she should have packed the night before. Edward left her to it and went in search of his brother who was, not surprisingly, reading in the living room.

"Al, are you sure you are going to be alright here tonight?" Edward asked, sitting in an armchair and putting his shoes on.

His brother looked up from his book. "Of course I am Ed; it's only one night and I am only just over one year younger than you, remember?" he replied, raising his eyebrows.

"I know that...just remember to lock up the house before you go to bed and don't leave all the lights on-"

"Yep, I know. You need to relax, Ed. I'm sure you'll have a good time," Al smiled. Edward remained silent and finished lacing his shoes. He knew that, but this was the first time that he and Winry had ever actually been on a _date_.

Winry called his name and Edward called back saying that he was ready. He pulled his coat on and clapped his brother on the shoulder telling him to call the hotel if there were any problems. Winry carried the suitcase down one flight of stairs and Edward took it off her and carried it down the second flight and then to the train station.

Their train was late, which made Winry agitated when she thought that they had a table to meet. "What time did you book the table?" Winry asked anxiously.

Edward gulped and looked around the platform. "Oh I think it was around eight, maybe eight-thirty...we've got plenty of time," he reassured her.

When the train finally arrived, both Edward and Winry dozed. Winry rested her head on his shoulder and Edward rested his head on her head. They were suddenly jerked awake when the train began to slow suddenly for the station. Winry was looking around the city with large eyes and Edward thrived on her excitement. They found their hotel and made their way up to the hotel room. It was one of the most expensive hotels in South City and Edward had rented out the penthouse suit for the night. The suite was on the top floor of the hotel and had two living areas, a large bedroom with the biggest bed either of them had ever seen and a large bathroom with the bathtub being the size of a big Jacuzzi. The whole suit was classically decorated with wooden panelling and floorboards and beautiful paintings on the walls.

Winry noted the time on the grandfather clock and told Edward that he couldn't come into the bedroom whilst she got changed. Sighing, he turned away and spotted a phone on a stunning mahogany table. He pulled out the restaurants business card from his wallet and called the number. After a few rings the phone was answered.

" _Good evening, Half-Moon Restaurant, Claire speaking, how can I help_ "?

"Yes, hello, I was wondering if I could book a table for tonight please. A table for two?" he said quietly, trying not to get Winry's attention in the other room.

There was a pause and Edward head the flicking of paper. " _I'm sorry sir, but there isn't any room tonight. We do have a two month waiting list, if you want to book one now_?" she replied with no sincerity in her voice.

"No room? Surely you can just squeeze us in the corner or something-"

" _I'm sorry but we can't_ -"

"Look; I've booked this for my girlfriend to mark a special occasion and-"

" _Goodbye, sir_ ," the woman said and hung up.

Edward gritted his teeth and threw the phone down back into its tray. Now what was he going to do. He paced the room running his hands through his hair, stopping when he saw Winry in the bedroom doorway, with a towel wrapped around her.

"You didn't book the table, did you?" she said dangerously.

Edward's eyes darted around the room, looking everywhere except at her. He gingerly shook his head.

"I head the conversation Ed. Let me try and call them," she said, turning back into the bedroom to finish putting some clothes on.

"What use will that do? They've said they are fully booked," he sighed annoyed with himself.

There was silence as Winry changed. She walked out into the main room making Edward's head snap up. Her hair was still wet and clung to her face but she looked wonderful. She wore a deep green satin dress that clung to her slim figure showing off her curves, the halter neck exposing her bare shoulders and back and the dress falling to the floor so her feet were concealed. Edward had never seen her look so feminine that he was speechless.

"I take it I look alright then?" she said, her eyebrows rising.

He nodded his mouth slightly open and moving towards her. He kissed her shoulder, his left flesh hand running down her bare back. How could he have known that a dress like this could tease him so much?

Winry smiled and pecked him on the cheek. "You need to get ready now: I am going to call the restaurant," she said, moving over to the phone. "what is your receptionist's name?"

"I think it is Susan Anderson... why?" Winry ignored him and picked up the phone. Edward sighed. "They're not going to-"

Winry silenced him with a look and began dialling the number. After a moment the phone was answered.

" _Good evening, Half-Moon Restaurant, Claire speaking, how can I help_ "?

Edward cringed when he heard the same woman answer the phone and moved over to stand next to Winry.

"Hello, my name Susan Anderson and I was wondering if I could book a table on behalf of my boss," Winry said smoothly in a different tone of voice.

" _I'm sorry Mrs Anderson, but Half-moon Restaurant is fully booked this evening-_ "

"Oh no! Whatever shall I tell Mr Elric?" she gasped overdramatically.

" _Mr. Elric you say? As is Mr Edward Elric_?" the hostess enquired.

"Yes, Mr Edward Elric, Hero of the People and good friends with the Furher himself...oh he and his girlfriend will be-"

" _Let me see what I can do. Bear with a moment_ ," the hostess said quickly. After around a minute of waiting, she picked up the phone again. " _Would eight-thirty be suitable for Mr Edward Elric and his girlfriend_?" she said.

"Oh that would be ideal, thank you very much!" Winry replied happily. She said goodbye to the now eager hostess and put the phone down smiling.

Edward was, once again, speechless. "That was easy," Winry muttered, before being spun around. He pulled her into a passionate kiss, his hands drawn to her back again. She shivered a little when his cool automail hand traced her spine. Edward now wished that she had booked the table for nine-thirty.


	21. Vacation

His palms were sweaty and he hastily wiped them on his white shirt. He was in a dimly lit gent's restroom in the posh restaurant Winry had cleverly booked, and leant over the basin and looked into the mirror, breathing deeply. Edward splashed some cold water over his face and looked up, watching it trickle down his flushed face and dripping off his chin. He shook his head and took another deep breath and tried to calm his thoughts.

A young couple, not much older than both he and Winry had been sat swooning over each other on an adjacent table to theirs, was making them both feel incredibly uncomfortable. Neither Edward nor Winry had been fans of showing sickly affection towards each other in public, and the only thing Edward would do in public was usually a casual arm around Winry's waist or shoulders, and Winry was perfectly fine with that. Now this couple that sat near them were falling into each other over the table, mumbling mushy words and playing with each other's foot under the table and caressing each other's hand on the table. Winry clicked her tongue in annoyance when the woman had looked at Winry and raised her eyebrows, giving her an almost sympathetic look, before turning away and flicking her long brunette hair.

It had got worse when the young man had called a waiter over to give them champagne and the young woman squealed loudly when she saw an engagement ring in the bottom of the champagne glass. The restaurant had gone silent as the man had gone to one knee in front of her and spoke an abundance of clichéd lines, and Edward smirked when he saw Winry gag and hold a snicker behind her wine glass. His smiled faded and he clapped as the brunette cried an emotional 'yes', and the room burst with clapping and cheering. Winry was smiling faintly and Edward felt his stomach tense – did she expect him to do something the same as that man next to him had? Was she expecting him to propose?

Edward leant back from the sink in the bathroom and covered with his face with his hands, letting out a small agonising groan. Of course – this was the perfect situation. He had booked a beautiful hotel in South City, got the penthouse suite and had now taken her out to dinner where she was wearing a stunning green dress that kept him enchanted. He went to the door of the bathroom and peered through it, grimacing when he realised that every guest in the room was with a partner, thus a couple. His eyes fell to Winry who was glancing around the room, and he was sure she was thinking the same as him. He puffed his cheeks and walked back into the restaurant, exhaling slowly as he sat back down at the table, just as the newly engaged couple began to rise.

He took a glance at Winry who smiled at him and nodded to the couple as they left. Had she got her hopes up that Edward was going to do the same? They were now nineteen and were most certainly old enough to get married, but something about 'marriage' scared Edward a little – it seemed too...'grown-up'. He shook his head because he would happily marry Winry tomorrow if that was what it took for her to be happy and receive benefits from his job and the community. The only thing was that he couldn't see himself getting down on one knee just yet...but if Winry wanted it, then he would most certainly do it for her.

Winry leant across the table her head lowered, her eyes raised and meeting his. "Thank goodness they are gone. I swear, I was on the verge of vomiting," she said quietly, a wicked glint in her eye.

Edward shifted a little. "Oh? Why is that?" he asked casually. Was he ready to mention it to her now if she brought it up? Could he face going to a jewellery shop in the morning and buying her a ring?

"They were a typical cliché!" she scoffed, leaning back in her chair and smiling broadly. Her eyes then softened and they looked distant. "I think I would be awfully embarrassed if that happened to me," she said, with a small smile on her face.

His heart raced and Edward could feel his eyes widening. Did she not want to...? Hesitantly, he cleared his throat. "What do you mean? Be embarrassed to be engaged or married?" he asked, feeling his face heat up.

She shook her head. "No Ed...I mean..." she looked away blushing a little herself. "I do want that to happen someday, but I feel like I am too young! There are so many things I want to do before I become a...a wife. Even that word sounds old to me! I'm not an old middle-aged woman yet, am I?" she laughed.

Scratching his head, Edward leant back in his chair and casually asked for the bill from a passing waiter. He felt relief wash through him – it appeared to be that she was thinking along the same lines as him. They left the restaurant and Edward hailed a taxi and as they sat in the back of the taxi, Winry watching the bright lights of South City, Edward casually wrapped his left arm around her bare shoulders. She turned and looked at him and smiled, resting her hand gently on his knee, a knee which had once been made of metal.

That night, Edward gently tugged off her entrancing silk dress and made love to her on the large hotel canopy bed as gentle and loving as he could, as if to subtly prove to her that she was his everything and all, and that a ring on her finger wouldn't make him love her any more or less.

Edward had watched as sleep captivated her in the middle of the night and the way her long eyelashes rested lightly on her cheeks as she slept calmly. He could feel himself smiling as she rolled over, facing him in her sleep and mumbling his name. He pulled the duvet up over her a little to cover her bare shoulders and rolled onto his back, where he gazed up at the canopy above him; his automail arm running lightly through the strands of her now knotted hair.

Sleep wasn't going to come easily for him this evening, even though he was exhausted from the long day and pleasuring Winry. He quietly climbed out of the bed and put some casual clothes on and pulled open the balcony door, taking a thick book with him. He shut the door slowly behind him and sat down on one of the chairs on the balcony. Even in the early hours of the morning, it was still fairly warm in South City, and winter had yet begun to make its mark. Eventually, with a book on his lap, Edward fell asleep, but it didn't feel that long until he felt himself being shaken gently awake.

Blinking his eyes open in the bright morning sun, Winry stood in front of him and cast her shadow over him so he wasn't blinded. As his eyes became accustomed to the light he found himself blushing as he found himself staring straight at Winry's chest in a tight green bikini top.

Winry was leaning over him. She made her head level to his and smiled, gently closing the book that rested on his lap. "Did you not sleep well?" she asked.

"It was...too hot...so I...err...Winry, what are you wearing?" he stammered and Winry leant away from him.

"What does it look like?" she laughed, turning away and looking at the view from the balcony.

He scratched his head and stood up, coming over to her, trying not to look at the way the small bikini bottoms made her legs look long and luxurious. "Are you going out like that?"

Amused blue eyes flicked to his. "Well yes, but I am going to put a few clothes on top when we actually go to our destination." She turned around to face him, tilting her head. "You said we were going to the lake, remember? I haven't been to a lake for such a long time."

Suddenly he remembered the conversation he and Winry had shared the previous night about going to one of the big lakes near South City. Even though swimming wasn't his favourite thing to do because of his automail, the thought of relaxing on a beach by the side of the lake did seem rather appealing.

Edward had managed to call the headquarters where he worked in South City and ask for a car to be brought around. Neither of them had got around to getting a car, even though it was becoming ever more popular to posses one. The car journey was made in silence as Edward pretended to fall asleep in the front seat next to the driver who couldn't stop asking him questions. In the end, Winry answered for him and he was aware that she knew he was faking sleep.

"You know that driver was just being polite, Ed" Winry said to Edward as she lay down the towels on the beach by the lake. Considering it wasn't the holiday season, there were still a fair few people and families enjoying the last part of summer.

"Everybody is 'just being polite'," Edward grumbled as he lay down on a towel and opened his book and began reading.

He felt Winry shift beside him as she sat on her towel. They sat in silence for a moment and Edward could already feel sleep pulling him in again. He forced himself to stay awake – this was a vacation for both him and Winry to enjoy.

"Well I'm going for a swim. Are you coming?" She asked.

He mumbled a polite 'no', and casually watched as Winry stepped into the water. He laughed a little as he watched her take a few steps back and then suddenly run into the water, making the children nearby paddling scream with laughter. Winry popped her head up from the water and began playing with the young children by splashing them and pretending to catch them. Laughter lit up her face as she was captivated by the children and Edward felt himself beaming at her as he watched.

Eventually, watching was not enough. He licked him thumb, folded down the corner of a page in his book and closed it, carefully laying it down on the sand that had been shipped from the Easter Desert. He pulled off his shirt and walked towards the water's edge, and smiled when Winry noticed he was there. Cautiously, he let the water lightly lick around his toes, the cool water giving him shivers.

Winry waded over to him and raised her eyebrows. "Come to play, have you?" she smiled, stopping a few feet in front of him where the water reached her knees.

"Possibly," he replied.

She placed her hands in the water and suddenly splashed him. Edward gasped as goose bumps erupted all over him as the cool water covered him. He set his jaw straight and waded into the water quickly, in determination to catch Winry. The children nearby were laughing as they watched and splashed Edward and Winry as she cleverly managed to escape his grasps and his pathetic splashes with his left hand.

"Don't get your automail wet!" she cried over the laughter, attempting to run into the deeper water.

His fingers brushed her hair, he was so close to getting her until she dived into the water and he had to try and keep his balance to stop himself falling in after her. The water was up to his torso, so he knew he couldn't go any deeper. Frowning, he watched her as she surfaced, her long hair plastered to her face and back.

"That's cheating – you know I can't go any deeper!" he shouted as the children nearer the shore laughed at him with his arm in the air.

She smiled and swam towards him and then stood up, where the water encircled her waist. She walked right up to him and kissed him lightly to tease, and then took his automail arm and walked back to the shore to the children. The children wanted to play with Winry again, so she began to chase them in the shallow water. Edward shook his head with a smile on his face and stood by the shore and watched as Winry lay down in the water pretending to be a shark.

"She's very good with children," a woman said, standing near Edward.

He turned to look at the woman who was in her late twenties and he smiled. "Yeah, she is," he sighed.

"Are any of these children yours?" the woman pleasantly asked.

Edward felt his face heat up. "Err no, none of them are. She just went for a swim and these kids flocked by her," he said, scratching his head.

The woman chuckled. "How strange. The children seem to love her." They stood in silence for a while watching as Winry set up a game of tag with the children, the other children scattering as she declared that she was 'it'.

"I don't want to seem rude, but are you two together?" the woman asked politely.

"Yes, we are," Edward replied and then smiled. How long he had wanted to say that!

"You're a lucky one then, aren't you?" The woman laughed as Winry emerged from the water and went over to Edward and wiped her wet hands on his face, making him cringe. "You certainly have your way with children, don't you miss?"

Winry turned and smiled at the woman, a faint blush on her cheeks. "Thank you ma'am," she replied curtly.

"Are you here long? I hate to ask it's just that I could do with a baby sitter..." the woman continued.

There was a pause as Winry glanced at Edward. He knew the woman had wanted something other than spontaneous chatter.

"We are here on holiday. It's our first holiday in...I don't know how long. We both have very busy working lives, so it's nice to get away. I am sorry, but we are leaving in two days, and we just want to relax, you know?" Winry replied, smiling. Edward put his arm around Winry's damp shoulders.

"Yes, well, enjoy your time here. It was nice to meet you," the woman said, and moved closer towards the water where she called after one of the children.

Edward and Winry turned away and headed back towards their towels in the sand. Winry wrapped herself up in hers and began to dry her arms before laying the towel back down on the sand so she could sunbathe. Edward did the same but pulled out his book, except that he couldn't absorb the information.

Yet again another person had unwillingly embarrassed him. He felt the pressure on him and turned to look at Winry who was lying on her front with her head turned away from him. Was she broody? They had already lost a child neither of them had planned for, but was she ready to plan for one now? Could he see himself as a father? How he hated the term 'father'! His own had left him and Al at a young age, and that was something Edward couldn't forgive him for...yet now he wondered if his own father had been as dubious about this as he was. He didn't like to relate himself to that man, but so many people had told him that they were alike and there was nothing he could do about it. But he knew that Hohenheim had craved a family and Edward could certainly see himself with a family of his own...well he could see Winry as a perfect mother.

"Ed, you're thinking too hard," Winry said quietly, pulling Edward out of his trance. He looked at her to see her smiling gently at him. "Is there something wrong?"

For a moment he thought about telling her his thoughts, and he really knew that he should do. However he didn't because he remembered the reason for the vacation in the first place. To relax and forget about their busy lives – this holiday was just for the two of them – because he wasn't sure when he would be able to get time off for another one.

He shook his head and pecked her cheek. "Nope, nothing at all. I think I should have brought a better book to read – this one is a little heavy going," he said, which was true. Sitting up, he watched the children return to the water and then stop as they searched appeared to be looking for somebody. "I think you're missed, Winry," he said quietly, a little amused.

Winry sat up and then the children spotted her and pointed at her. They shouted her name and with a smile on her face, she got up, placed a hand on Edward's shoulder and then ran lightly across the sand towards the children who began to escape her. Edward looked away and scratched his head and realised he may be getting cold feet.


	22. Mother Nature

It was the final day of their vacation away and all Winry wanted to do was stay in bed. She stretched luxuriously under the duvet and sighed contently, gazing happily at the canopy above her. The holiday they had spent together had been even more relaxing than Winry could have ever hoped. Originally they had only planned to be away one night for the meal at the restaurant but then Edward had told her that he had booked the hotel until Tuesday and had phoned Al to tell him to look after himself. Winry smiled as she recalled the weekend in her mind and realised that she had never spent so much time with Edward in her life. They had been together all weekend, only being apart for a few minutes whilst the other was in the bathroom – small things like that. Winry rolled over and stared at the broad shoulders that faced her. She reached out a hand from under the duvet and lightly traced her fingers down his spine, making him shiver and slowly wake up.

Edward rolled onto his back and sleepily motioned for Winry to move closer towards him. She complied and pulled the duvet over him a little more as she saw that his stomach hanging out. Some things never changed. He wrapped his flash arm around her and sighed. Winry smiled and wished that this weekend would never end.

Winry popped herself up on one elbow and looked at Edward who was dozing and said, "Would you mind it much if we stayed here all day?" she said quietly.

He opened one eye and looked at her, a smile creeping onto his face.

"You know it's fine by me," he smirked.

She rolled her eyes. "How did I know you were going to say that?" she muttered.

He turned towards her and wiped the hair out of her face. "No innuendo intended," he chuckled. "Why do you want to stay in here all day, may I ask?"

Winry shrugged. "Just because... well I don't know when we will get the opportunity to do this again. Even on weekends back home we have to get jobs done," she sighed.

"Hmm yes, and we don't have a bed this big, do we?" he grinned mischievously, pulling Winry into a long kiss.

Winry entangled her legs with his and kissed him back passionately, despite the cheesy line he had just said. However, she stopped and pulled away when she felt a pain in her abdomen.

Edward frowned. "Is something wrong?"

Winry remained silent and suddenly felt a little sick. Then a painful cramp attacked her. "Shit!" she hissed, and rolled over and threw Edward's white shirt on over her and ran to the en-suite bathroom, slamming the door behind her.

When she emerged ten minutes later, she saw that Edward had fallen back asleep, however he stirred when Winry climbed back into the bed.

"What was all that about?" he mumbled into the pillow.

Winry tugged her hair behind her ears and folded her arms, leaning against the headboard.

"Win?" He mumbled and Winry realised she had not replied to him.

"I'm just a little annoyed, that's all, but grateful at the same time."

Edward yawned and looked at her sleepily. "Am I really that bad?" he said, a little concerned.

Winry's eyes widened. "No, not at all Ed! Don't be stupid," she replied.

He pushed himself up a little and began to lay soft kisses along Winry's arms, stopping when he reached the material of his shirt and then sat up a bit more to kiss her shoulder and her neck. Winry felt herself shiver under his touch – an effect he always had on her, but reluctantly she shifted a little away. He leaned in closer and kissed her lightly on the mouth, making her moan a little. Cringing, she lightly pushed against his chest.

"I can't, Ed," she mumbled as he pulled away.

His nose touched hers and he frowned at her. "Why?" he asked, his voice full of confusion. "Have I worn you out too much this weekend?" he smiled.

Winry smiled in return but shook her head. "Ed, I could seriaously never get enough of you but right now there is something stopping me having you," she said quickly.

Now he was awake. "Today?"

"Yep," Winry sighed between her teeth.

Edward groaned and flopped down onto the bed. "Why couldn't it have been tomorrow?" he grumbled.

"Not my fault. If it were up to me I wouldn't have these at all 'cause they hurt so much," she replied, placing a hand on her abdomen.

He looked up at her and sighed. "Sorry Winry, I'm being really selfish here. You know how you get me sometimes – I just can't help it," he smiled awkwardly. "I'll call room service and ask them to send you up a hot water bottle."

Winry stared at him and smiled sheepishly. "You don't have to...besides I want to stay in bed with you all day, and now I've ruined it," she pouted.

Edward chuckled and leant over to kiss her. "That's why I am getting room service. I will only have to get up to answer the door, and don't be stupid – this isn't your fault. At least you've got it, rather than not having it at all..." Edward suddenly looked away and reached for the phone.

Winry placed a hand on his arm. "I know what you mean, don't worry." Winry knew that he had just accidently referred to the miscarriage, something which occasionally haunted Winry in her sleep. It had happened just over one year ago and she could safely say that she was over it, but it would always scar her deep inside. She was relieved that her monthly bleeding had come but at the same time she was still dubious about whether she could get pregnant again, even though the doctors had confirmed it.

She did not realise she had fallen asleep until she woke a little later to find a dully warm hot water bottle resting on her abdomen. She sat up a little and looked over her shoulder where Edward was sat up in bed reading a book. He smiled when he saw her and closed his book.

"How long was I asleep for?" she asked.

"A few hours I think. I got the hot water bottle for you but I think it may not be full of hot water anymore," he shrugged. "But I managed to get you some pain killers from the receptionist who had them sent up for you."

She moved closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder. "Thank you, Ed. I usually sleep when it hurts and it fades for a while. Seriously, I really appreciate what you have done and I'm sorry for spoiling the last day of the holiday," she mumbled.

"You haven't spoilt anything - don't be an idiot," he replied, kissing her forehead. "Today has been relaxing and we both know that when we get back, it will be anything but that," he sighed.

"You were never one for relaxing though, were you?" Winry said, gazing into the distance. "I remember whenever you came for maintence in Resembool, you always complained about waiting and being bored whilst you waited."

"That's because I had some urgent things to do and sometimes I felt like I was wasting time sitting around and doing nothing," he replied, his automail hand lost in her hair.

"Hmm, well think how I felt waiting for you the whole time," she said darkly.

"I know Winry, I'm sorry," he sighed, slumping a little. "But I always looked forward to seeing you when I came for maintence...well except the wrenches to my head," he added.

She chuckled. "Yes, but we both know that you deserved that."

Edward shrugged over dramatically. "Unfortunately I have to concur!"

They spent the rest of the day talking about the past and occasionally Winry would fall asleep on Edward's chest as she tried to not think about the painful cramps she felt. They stayed up late into the night talking and swapping stories like they used to do when they were younger. Except that this time they told each other things that they had never told anybody else. That night they exposed their secrets and had laughed, cried and comforted each other. Winry had waited a long time for Edward to tell her everything that had happened over their troubled teenage years, and finally she heard everything. She lay in his arms as he spoke and kissed his neck gently if he found it difficult to talk.

Winry was now grateful that her monthly bleeding had happened today, because now she felt that it had given each of them time to realise that there was more to love than physical desires – it was trust, communication and companionship.


	23. Cat

The train journey back had been a relaxing one, and both Edward and Winry were eager to get back to the house after the journey and to see Alphonse, who had been left on his own in the house for nearly four days. Winry was anxious to get back to continue with her work and it had only been on that train journey back did Edward suggest she got herself an apprentice. She had laughed at the idea at first, but then realised that there may very well be another mechanic like her when she was fifteen who was desperate to learn all of the techniques and tools of the trade of automail. As they climbed off the train and walked casually back to the house, Winry thought about it harder and concluded in her mind that having an apprentice wouldn't be a bad thing at all. In fact, she could see it being rather amusing and she would be able to spend more time with her patients and Edward.

She cast a sideways glance at him as he fumbled to unlock the front door, complaining that automail and keys just didn't go together well. Eventually, after many curses under his breath, Edward unlocked the front door and they both headed upstairs to their bedroom to unpack.

However, it was when Edward walked past the living room did he stop in his tracks, and Winry tumbled into him, knocking him to the ground.

"Ed, what was that for?" she asked, rubbing her head as she sat up, her limbs entangled with his. Usually Edward would have taken this opportunity to speak innuendo or blush furiously, but as Winry looked down she saw his eyes narrowed in the direction of the living room.

Winry climbed off Edward and brushed herself down and gave a hand to Edward, who took it, all the while his eyes fixed to the living room. "What is it Ed?" she asked, a little uncertain. He was being exceptionally quiet, and she felt herself worry for a split second.

Edward glanced at her and took her hand, forcing her behind his back. Together they crept into the living room, and then Winry head a noise too – it sounded like somebody was licking something. She frowned also and then stood up straight and tugged her hand free of Edward's. He glared at her as she strode right past him and into the kitchen where she halted in the door as she saw what was making the sound.

A black and grey tabby cat was licking a bowl of milk from a small dish laying on the floor. It looked up quite calmly when it saw Winry, looked at her for a moment and then continued to drink the milk. Edward peered around behind her shoulder, his automail hand making her shiver.

"It was just a cat, Ed," Winry sighed, moving closer to the cat and kneeling down to stroke it. The cat stopped drinking the milk and looked up again at Winry, letting out a small purr as her hand stroked its fur.

"Why is there a cat in our kitchen?" Edward asked, still unsure.

Winry chuckled at Edward's over suspicion. "I am guessing that this has something to do with Al," she said, standing up and stretching. The cat moved away from the bowl licking its lips and then stopped when it saw Edward standing in the doorway. It arched its back, the soft fur standing on end and hissed at him. Edward jumped to one side in panic letting the cat skulk past him and into the living room, where it jumped up and began to settle down on Edward's chair.

"Hey, cat! That's my chair!" he said loudly, walking back into the living room. Winry watched with amusement as the cat bared its teeth at Edward, making him retreat back into the kitchen. He glanced back at the cat to see it having a wash on the chair.

Moving over to the fridge and pulling out a bottle of milk, Winry turned curiously to Edward. "What is it with you and animals?" she asked, kneeling down by the cat's dish and pouring some more milk into it.

"What do you mean? Look, that cat is on my chair, like it bloody owns the place!" he grumbled, crossing his arms and leaning against the counter.

"Ed; don't sulk," Winey said sternly, putting the milk bottle back in the fridge and turning to face him. "I mean that cats have always disliked you – even when we were kids...although maybe that was because you stroked Mrs Harrison's cat the wrong way round," she said, smiling.

"Cats hate me dogs love me," he said bitterly.

"Hmm, yes and maybe because of what you did to Mrs Harrison's cat, you are now cursed forever with cats – they probably have their own language and have sworn to hate you for all eternity," she joked, coming up close to him.

"And the dogs?" he said, tearing away his gaze from the cat to look at Winry.

"The dogs and cats have been at war with each other since...forever. You are their savoir," she laughed, winking at him and then walking out of the kitchen to the landing where she picked up her suitcase and carried it upstairs.

Alphonse had been at school that day, and he was in his final year of study. He stumbled through the front door, his arms full of books and somehow managed to climb the stairs even though he couldn't see his feet. Winry rolled her eyes when Edward jumped out of the seat next to her on the sofa and strode out of the room. Sighing, she got up and followed him, mainly out of curiosity and in the vain hope that she might save the young man's dignity.

"Al!" Edward said, crossing his arms.

His younger brother spluttered and dropped most of his books. He leant down to pick them up until Edward cut across him.

"Al, forget about those books for just one minute and explain to me why there is a cat on my chair and in my house?" he said, his flesh fish clenching.

Winry rubbed her forehead and glanced outside. It looked like it was going to rain again.

Al scratched his head and looked at his older brother. "Well it's been kind of quiet without you two here and the poor little cat was just sitting outside alone in the rain and was calling to me..." he replied, looking away.

Winry sniggered behind Edward's back. He shot his head round to look at her making her fall silent as she tried to contain her laughter. Really, this was all very amusing for her, and she knew that Al was enjoying it too as she exchanged glances with him

"You didn't consult this with either me or Winry," Edward said.

"I think it is fine to have a cat in the house. I've missed having an animal around," Winry replied quickly, making Al smile and Edward grimace. He turned to look at her and she smiled sympathetically and reached forward to place a comforting hand on Edward's arm, making his gaze soften. "It won't hurt that much, will it? Beside I like sitting next to you on the sofa," she mumbled, so only Edward could hear.

He sighed and turned away. "I suppose the cat can stay..." he exhaled.

Al gasped. "Really? Thanks brother!"

Edward rested his chin on Winry head. "Yeah, as long as I don't have to care for it. If I leave it alone then maybe it will leave me alone," he said.

"She," Al prompted.

"It," Edward grumbled and headed upstairs, muttering to Winry that he was going for a shower.

Once he had gone, Winry helped Al to pick up his books and dump them in his messy bedroom. "So what is the cat called?" she asked as the carefully laid the books down on his desk.

"Well I was thinking along the lines of Tom..." he said thoughtfully.

"Hmm yes but Ed would probably think that name was too boring," she chuckled. "Look Al, it's your cat, so you are going to have to look after it, is basically what Ed is trying to say. I'll help too though – of the cat is hungry I'll feed him. But that also means that because she is your cat, that you are entitled to name him what you want," Winry smiled.

"I understand," Al nodded. "And Tom it is then."

After one week of the cat skulking out of the room whenever Edward entered, and Edward slipping out of the room if the cat was in his chair, the pair began to accept the others company. It was a few days after Edward and Winry had got back from their vacation, that Winry got a call from her Grandmother.

"Winry...my age is taking its toll on me," she said.

Winry felt her stomach tighten, as she gripped the telephone cord in her office. "What do you mean, Granny? Are you feeling alright?"

There was a sigh down the other end of the phone. I am old, Winry. I can't look after Den anymore...would you be able to take her off my hands?" the old lady asked.

Winry nodded and rubbed her forehead. "Of course that's fine. Do you want to come and stay here for a while?"

There was a pause. "No dear, I think its best I stay here for now. People still need their automail in this small town. I'll send a courier with Den...she should arrive in the next few days...take care of her because she is getting old too."

"Granny are you sure-"

"Thank you for your concern dear, but I can take of myself. You need to concentrate on your work and you family right now," the old woman replied.

"But you're my family," Winry protested, feeling a lump in her throat.

There was silence. "I know that. Don't get upset; be that strong girl I know. Please call me when you get Den. And write soon," she said, closing the conversation.

"Yes Granny."

"Oh and make sure Ed is looking after you," she added. "Bye, dear."

"Bye, Granny," Winry mumbled, and then hung up. She sighed and rubbed her eyes, trying not to worry about her grandmother. She didn't even know how old her grandmother was...most certainly into her eighties.

Den arrived at the train station two days later and Winry went to pick her up and then wait for Edward's train to get him. Den barked happily when she saw Winry and the jumped up and down when Den saw Edward climb off the train. He laughed and then got knocked down on the platform by the dog.

"What's Den doing here?" he laughed, getting to his feet.

Winry passed Edward Den's lead and they began to walk back to the house.

"Granny can't really take care of her anymore, and she can't take her out for walks," Winry sighed, looking away.

Edward stroked Den's head, making her bark. "I'll bet you'll miss the country, girl," he smiled. "Is Granny doing alright?" he asked, looking at her.

Winry shrugged. There had been no note from her grandmother with Den. She had hoped for a small letter. "I would like to think so. Maybe I should write more," she sighed.

He put a reassuring arm around her shoulders with his spare hand. "Your grandmother is one tough woman...I know where you get your stubbornness from," he chuckled.

They arrived back at the house, and Den began to sniff around the house excitedly. They went up to the living room where Winry put a few groceries in the kitchen, but paused when she heard Edward talking.

"...that's right cat, you've got competition in this house now with Den here..."

Winry peered through the doorway to see Edward kneeling down in front of the sleeping cat on his armchair; one lazy eye open looking at him. Den barked, and the cat jumped up and ran out of the room. Edward laughed and patted Den on the head.

"Good girl," he said smiling.

"Ed! Don't scare Al's cat!" Winry hissed.

"It wasn't me, it was Den! Hey Den, we make a great team," he said and sat down on his chair, Den obediently curling up on the floor by his feet.

Winry smiled and then shook her head at the way Edward was with animals. She sat down near them and the cat slowly came back into the room and tentatively climbed onto Winry's lap, keeping its eyes on Edward and Den.


	24. No Time

Days passed, weeks flew by and the months merged into one. The seasons changed and a few years slid by. Time was spent on their work and their lives were kept busy. Meals were made, food was eaten, it rained, the sun remained warm, snow fell and books were read. Conversations passed between one another, animals fought, humans fought and reconciled. People loved.

Winry carried the tray of food carefully up the stair and headed to the attic, where two patient rooms were. She knocked on the door of one of them with her foot and entered after a muffled reply. A young girl with short cropped brown hair was leaning over a young man with curly blond hair. The young girl looked up and jumped away as Winry raised her eyebrows.

"Miss Rockbell! I was just ... checking Mr Hamilton's arm!" she said quickly, bumping her head on the low ceiling.

Winry moved further into the room and put the tray of food down on the bedside table. "And I can see you've done a fine job," she chuckled. "Mr Hamilton, you need to take your medication with this food – the pills are in the small paper cup there on the tray. Eat in your own time...Amy; I need you down in the workshop, now please," Winry said politely and firmly to the girl.

She nodded her head and glanced at Mr Hamilton on her way out. Winry closed the door behind her and sighed. "Amy, I can't have you flirting with every young male customer that comes in requiring surgery and maintence," Winry said, rubbing her temples.

Amy, a bubbly and enthusiastic mechanic aged just fifteen cringed under Winry's stare. "Sorry Miss Rockbell...Harry is just so nice..." she said.

"That's Mr Hamilton to you and me. It's not wise getting involved with patients."

The teenager pouted. "But he was the first person I witness automail attachment on – of course I'm interested in him! Doesn't mean I am involved with him," she replied quickly. "And besides you can't talk can you? Mr Elric was-"

"An old family friend," Winry cut across smoothly, trying to force the heat on her cheeks away.

"Sure..." Amy said, rolling her eyes and moving down the stairs. "So when are you two getting married?"

Winry felt goose bumps erupt over her arms and shook her head. "We're not getting married, Amy and how am I supposed to know? It's usually the man that does the proposing," Winry grumbled.

They returned to the shop floor and Winry instructed Amy to sweep up whilst she saw her next patient. The day went rather smoothly and Winry sent Amy home after she had given her a book on automail fingers. Winry sighed and locked up the shop, ever grateful that she now had an apprentice. She walked into her office and picked up the phone, dialling her other automail shop on the other side of the town. The manager of the store was a widowed middle-aged man who was very eager in automail, and Winry had him sent from Rush Valley to help run her second shop. After a brief conversation about the day's business, Winry hung up and started a bit of paperwork, until there was a knock at the door of her office.

"Come in," she called, her eyes not moving from the papers in front of her – she had many applications to get through for another mechanic to work at her shop here.

Edward pushed open the door and stood in the threshold. "I'm back early," he said.

Winry looked up and smiled when she saw him standing there. She stood up from her desk and stretched, glancing at the clock. "That's a first for a while," she said, shifting her papers on her desk and throwing them all into her 'in' tray. "What's the occasion?" she asked, tilting her head and walking towards him.

He shrugged and moved out of the office, Winry following him.

"I felt like leaving early, so I did. I mean I always want to leave early, but the point is that Mustang was a lazy ass when he was a colonel and I know that he left whenever he felt like it," he said, as they made their way upstairs.

Winry nudged him. "So you're taking a leaf out of his book now, are you?" she said, her eyebrows raised.

At the top of the stairs, he turned to face her and she knew that he was thinking about his height. "Well not only that, but it's your birthday," he said, grinning.

Realisation suddenly hit her and Winry's eyes widened. She brought her hands to her face and groaned. "Oh god, I had forgotten!" she said to her hands. Then she looked up suddenly. "Al hasn't given me a surprise party has he?"

Edward chuckled and they made their way into the living room. "Not this year, thankfully. He went to Central this week to look at one of the universities he wants to apply to, so no parties for you," he said.

Winry sighed and sat down on the sofa next to the sleepy cat Tom. "That's a relief."

"Yeah but my birthday is in two weeks and I am dreading what he may do then..." Edward trailed off, sitting next to her and stroking the cat on the other side of Winry.

"Wow, you'll be twenty-one: how old," Winry snickered.

Edward rolled his eyes. "Yes, but you are two weeks older than me so you are already twenty-one!" he laughed.

She frowned and touched the top of her head. "I don't have any grey hairs, do I?" she said, pretending to be sad.

Sitting up and inspecting her head he shook his head. "Not today, nope. Not that it really matters to me, you idiot."

Winry lowered her hands and glared at him. "I was joking, you know," she said.

That evening, Edward attempted to cook Winry a nice meal, which ended up in him almost burning off his eyebrows. Winry had to admit that his cooking had got better and in fact, the meal wasn't half bad. They spent the evening relaxing together and enjoyed each other's company in silence as Edward read the newspaper and Winry absorbed herself in a new automail book Edward had bought her for her birthday. For once, time passed slowly and Winry treasured it. She looked up from her book and smiled when she saw Edward's hand resting in the soft fur of the cat next to him, whilst he read the newspaper. She chuckled silently when she remembered what had happened when that cat had first arrived. It had taken time, but soon enough, the cat and Edward had decided to put up with each other's company and now Edward didn't mind feeding the cat if it shut it up from meowing.

A little later, Winry climbed the stairs to the attic and checked on her two patients up there. She sat with them for a bit and gave them some food and more medication before bidding them goodnight and tossing them a few books to read to pass the time. In the past year, Edward had been secretly converting the attic for Winry so that her patients who had received initial automail surgery were nearby in case they had a problem. Also, because of this, Winry had had more patients come across the country to come and see her and stay if they needed too. Winry's finances had risen and she had bought herself a car to commute to nearby patients' houses and to her other shop on the other side of the town. She had set aside a fund to pay for her planned second shop and once she had enough money (politely refusing any help from Edward), she found the perfect little shop and renovated it.

Winry sighed as she lay in the bed and gazed up at the canopy above her. So much had happened in the last two years that she didn't know what was going to happen next in her life. That was both exciting and nerve-racking. Winry had gone to visit her grandmother numerous times to persuade her to move to Dublith and live with her, Edward and Al, because of her deteriorating health. Worry had over taken her, yet she was grateful that her grandmother had lived for so long – she was most certainly a stubborn Rockbell. Then her thoughts unknowingly turned towards what her apprentice Amy had said earlier that day: ' _so when are you two getting married_?'

Rolling over and pulling the covers over her, she stared at Edward's back through the darkness. Her mind curiously prodded at this question and Winry felt annoyed for some strange reason. She remembered when they had taken that holiday to South City nearly two years ago and cringed at the couple next to them that had become engaged. Her thoughts paused as she remembered something – Edward had looked incredibly uncomfortable at that meal, even though it had been his idea. Then her mind happily replayed that holiday in her mind until it came to those children she had played with on the beach, making her unwillingly think about the miscarriage nearly four years ago. Setting her jaw straight, she snaked an arm around Edward, resting her head near his shoulders. That was a tragedy that they had both unfairly experienced and one which she would never forget ... yet was ready to move on for, and try again, to see if the doctors had been right about her body.

She smiled and then shivered – she was as scared as hell! Maybe should would think about it a little more before mentioning it to Edward, who was now snoring loudly. She shook her head – one glass of brandy and he would snore his head off.


	25. Trouble Lurking

Edward grimaced as he held the phone to his ear, reclining in his office chair. He fell forwards to his desk and picked up a pen and took some notes from the phone call. He had a headache and his mouth felt bitter – Al had done exactly as predicted and had thrown a party to celebrate Edward's twenty-first birthday and Edward had drunk far too much cider. His mind was a little numb from his hangover, and he silently swore he was never going to drink again – not that he drunk much in the first place. Al had cleverly invited Havoc and Breda to the celebrations who were in the area and, even from Mustang's warnings, Edward was surprised by the amount of alcohol they both consumed and how easily they managed to convince Edward to drink more. Winry had been a little tipsy too, which had amused him greatly as she had wobbled around the room, failing to walk in a straight line. He had seen her rubbing her head and covering up the bags under her eyes with the little amount of makeup she owned before he went to work. He felt like hell, so he was pretty sure he looked it too. He was snapped out of his ponderings when the military officer on the other end of the line made him sit up straight.

"...to Leore, and to make sure the military movement is going smoothly over there-"

"Leore?" Edward said loudly.

The person on the other line hesitated. "Yes sir. I believe you were there when you were first in the military."

"I know that. Why am I needed to go there? Can't a colonel from East HQ go? It's closer!" Edward protested.

"I'm sorry sir, I think it was decided by the Council that you go and see it for yourself."

There was a pause in which Edward sighed in defeat. "Fine; I'll go. But I'm taking my ... girlfriend and my brother with me." He said firmly, hesitating over the word 'girlfriend'.

It was finalised over the phone that it would be fine, and after some persuasion, Edward managed to get first class tickets for the train rides. Throwing down the phone and resting his head in his hands, Edward groaned in annoyance. He had planned the next few weeks out – it was perfect. He leant back in his chair and pulled open the top drawer in his desk where more train tickets sat – to Youswell. There was also a letter from May Chang that held details of locations and dates. He puffed his cheeks then rose from his desk, grabbed his coat and left his office, deciding to go home early to break the news of his military trip to Leore.

As usual, he decided that being blunt was the best way to go about this and as Winry, Al and him sat around the dinner table eating some of Al's delicious chicken stir-fry. Al was telling them in detail about his studies, and Winry was eager to learn if automail was part of his course at Central University, where he would soon be moving out and living. When Winry had shaken her head and explained to Al that automail surgery should be a part of his course, Edward cleared his throat nervously.

"I'm going to Leore," he said, picking up a piece of chicken with his chopsticks.

He felt Winry's eyes watching him and glanced at his brother who was looking at him quizzically. He then silently wished he had said it with much more detail and care, as his eyes flicked to Winry's who were full of confusion.

"On military business," he added quickly, and then continued to eat, staring at the food in front of him.

"Why though? It's seems strange for them to ask you to go to all the way to Leore on military business...oh wait, I see why," Al said.

"Yeah..." Edward grumbled.

"Why?" Winry asked curiously.

Al turned to Winry. "Because it was one of our first missions that gave us the most renown and... well, what we did caused a small civil war in the aftermath."

Edward watched Winry through his bangs as she frowned at her food. He reached out across the table and touched her hand, making her look up.

"You can come too if you want, and you Al," he said, smiling a little.

Winry sighed and nodded, the corners of her mouth twitching. "I would like to see the town again...I did stay there for a few months to help rebuild during the...troubles," she said.

"I would like to see it too. And to see Rose. Brother, you haven't seen Rose since you exposed Cornello," Al said thoughtfully.

Winry collected the plates together and rose from the table and walked into the kitchen to start on the washing up. Edward glanced at the door and nodded. "I guess I haven't," he replied before getting up and following Winry out into the kitchen.

In the kitchen, Edward picked up a dishcloth and stood behind Winry as she washed the dishes in the sink.

"You don't have to come if you don't want to...I understand if you can't take more time off work," he said, thinking glumly of the other tickets that were sat in his desk draw in his office.

Winry paused and then looked at him over her shoulder. "I do want to come," she said.

Edward scratched his head and moved to the counter where he could see her clearly. "Well what's the matter then? I know you Win; something's not right."

She sighed a little and looked up at him. "It's just...you have never really let me come with you on your journeys except that time when we went to Rush Valley and I stayed to work," she said, her eyes a little misty and distant.

Taken aback, Edward remained silent as he dried up the dishes, pondering on his own thoughts. He regrettably knew she was right and felt guilty for a moment, but then realised that he had done that to protect her, not burden or harm her.

"Sometimes Al doesn't know what to say, does he?" Winry said in a low voice, pulling Edward out of his thoughts.

He remembered what Al had said previously and suddenly cringed. "What, about Rose?" he said.

She nodded and ran a cloth around the sink and pulled out the plug, letting the water out. "Not that it matters, right?" she said, looking up at him.

"'Course not, Win. Like Al said, I haven't seen her for years, and like I've told you many times, I am only interested in you because I love you, don't I?" he said, smiling. He knew Winry was being a little jealous, so he wasn't going to let that get her worried or annoyed.

She pecked him on the cheek and put the dry dishes away. "I know that, but I don't know her, and neither do you."

"I don't think she would try anything. One because I wouldn't let her and two because I'm pretty sure she would get a wrench to her head that would result in her being in hospital with a strong case of concussion for about three months," he said, smiling broadly.

Chuckling, Winry turned away and reached up to put some glasses back in a cupboard. "When do we go then?"

"In two days, if that's alright. Sorry its short notice – you know what those twats are like in Central," he grumbled, folding up the dishcloth and making his way into the living room.

"Indeed," Winry said, slightly amused, sitting down on the sofa and picking up a newspaper. "Well I just need to get someone to watch the shop and house while we are away – there is still one patient in the attic recovering from three automail attachments."

That evening, Edward, Al and Winry sat and discussed the arrangements that needed to be made before their departure. Al said that he would pack some food to take with them on the long train journey and Winry said that she was going to phone the manager of her other store on the other side of the town to get him to take care of the house and store here. Edward was unsure at first at leaving the house to someone he didn't know, so in conclusion, they decided that Edward was going to see if either Izumi or Sig could keep an eye on the house and to feed Tom and Den.

The day before they were set to depart, Edward was forced out of work early to go and meet with Izumi and Sig. He still wore his military uniform as he entered the shop and the woman behind the counter looked at him through narrowed eyes.

"So they're making you wear that uniform now, are they?" she muttered, putting down her knife. She walked over to him, and like every time he was in his old master's company, he felt himself become very small and nervous. But this time, the woman was on eye-level with him. She smiled and ruffled his hair. "Glad to see you've got taller."

"Hey, I've been tall for a while now," Edward retorted angrily, before taking a deep breath, remembering why he was visiting.

The woman pushed some dreadlocks out of her face and surveyed him. "I haven't seen you for a few months though, have I? How difficult is it for you to visit?"

"Well how difficult is it for you tom come and visit Winry and me? And Al, when he is in town," he replied, folding his arms.

They stared at each other for a moment, before Izumi smiled again. "You're right of course. How is Winry?" she asked, leading Edward into the back room.

They conversed in polite conversation as they drunk coffee sat at a small table, before Izumi folded her arms and looked at him sternly. "Ed, I know it's not like you to just drop by and visit – care to tell me what you came here to see me for?" she asked.

Edward felt a sweat break at this woman's capabilities of being able to read him almost as well as Winry. He scratched his head.

"Well...Al, Winry and I have to go away on a military trip to Leore tomorrow for a week and after that, I am taking Winry and Al to Xing, but they don't know about that yet..." he said, looking away.

"Xing? What on earth for?" Izumi asked, sipping the last of her coffee.

Feeling uncomfortable, Edward continued talking, ignoring her question. "So I need someone to check on the house. Winry has a patient living there, and the manager from her other store will be feeding the patient, but I really need someone to feed the cat and dog, and to make sure the patient and the manager are not stealing or anything-"

"You're too suspicious for your own good, Ed," Izumi chuckled, making him look up curiously. "But of course I don't mind. However, you've got to pay me back...'Equivalent Exchange', right?"

Edward sighed and pulled out his wallet from his back pocket. "Alright, how much do you want?" he said, flicking through a few notes.

She shook her head. "No no, I'm not talking about money. I only ask for something simple in return," she said, her voice low.

Putting his wallet away Edward frowned. "And that is?"

Her eyes twinkled: something which he had never seen the woman do before. "I want to be invited to the wedding, alright?" she chuckled.

"Of course," Edward said without thinking, and then slapped his flesh hand to his mouth, a deep blush rising on his face.

Izumi sat back in her chair and laughed loudly, wiping away a tear. "I knew it! Don't worry Ed; I'll watch your house and your pets...I can't believe you got a cat..."

As Izumi waved Edward off from the shop, him leaving her a spare key, she called after him down the street: "don't forget your end of the bargain!" Edward waved as he walked away, desperately trying to forget what he had said to Izumi.

*

The train they caught from Dublith took nearly seven hours to arrive in Leore. There were many stops to be made but Edward was very pleased with himself that he had managed to get a private compartment on the first class carriage. The seats were made of a soft fabric that was just calling for him to nap in, and there was spacious leg room, but in the end, he decided to take up one whole bench to himself and sleep his way through the journey, like he had done in the past. He noted that his brother had done the same, sleeping sat up in the corner of their private compartment, and mused at the fact that his brother was more accustomed to train journeys than him – the amount of travelling his younger brother had done in the last year looking at different universities was enough to put Edward's own travels to shame. He presumed that Al was now as bored as he was when it came to travelling.

Throughout the whole journey, Edward was sure that Winry never once rested her eyes. She sat by the large window and gazed out of it for most of the journey, sometimes picking up her book next to her and reading through a few pages before turning back to the window. He wondered why she kept so vigilant; with her eyes sometimes flicking to the compartment door. He was also weary of who was walking past their compartment, with rumours around within the military that there were still some Bradley supporters.

The train had stopped briefly in Resembool and Edward could see Winry gazing longingly out of the window to the field where her grandmother lived. As the train refuelled for half an hour, Edward moved and sat next to her.

"We can stop here on the way back if you want?" Edward asked quietly, making her jump. She hadn't notice him sit next to her.

She continued to gaze out of the window. "I suppose so. It has been about a month since I saw her last. Doesn't Resembool look so lovely in the spring? Look; there's a sign for the festival," she said, pointing to a sign out of the window.

"I haven't been to the festival in years...since I was a kid," Edward said fondly.

"Same here really...the last time I was around here during the festival was the last time we met before the Promised Day," she said, not looking at him.

They sat in silence for a while, watching the station clerks move some water tanks, and people on the platform waiting for their train.

"Do you remember how we met when I got back from the north?" Winry suddenly asked.

Edward searched his memory and then felt his stomach flip – he had been hiding in her room.

She turned to look at him, her eyes sparkling with amused nostalgia. "You do remember, don't you?" she said quietly. "What exactly were you doing in my room on that night in question?"

Edward gulped and scratched his head. He almost felt as nervous as his sixteen year old self when he had been sat in her room to unexpectedly see her in there undressing...

"Like I said...I was admiring the view...and your room had the best view to see intruders..." he struggled to say.

She folded her arms and narrowed her eyes. A small sweat broke on his forehead.

"Liar: both you and I know that the guest room has the best view of the path in that house."

Now was the time. "I just...this is going to sound really creepy, but I...I was missing you alright? And I didn't know if you were safe or where you were..." he whispered, feeling very warm. He had wanted to see her belongings to convince himself that she was going to come back. He had touched his red coat on the back of her bedroom door, remembering that day he had thrown himself at death just to keep her alive. He had touched one of her wrenches that lay on her bed and ran his finger lightly over her dressing table, carefully flicking the dust off the tip of his flesh finger. He had wanted to eat his sandwich as if in the company of Winry, even though he knew she wasn't there. Edward knew that even though it sounded a little 'creepy', he would have done it again, and he would have sat and stared if she had walked in all over again and began undressing.

There was a silence. "Wow Ed, you sound like you're sixteen again," she chuckled quietly.

"I feel it right now," he mumbled. And that was true – he suddenly felt so nervous around her. He decided that it was because they were in their home town where everything had started and where he had first realised that he cared more about Winry than just a brother would. Not only that, but he was always nervous around her in Resembool for some reason.

Edward sighed as the train began to pull away from the station. "We'll come here on our way back Win," he said, rubbing her shoulders.

For the remainder of the journey, Edward slept, Al ate and slept and Winry read and daydreamed. When the train finally pulled into the small station of Lior, the light had faded at it was well into the evening. They left the train sleepily and called a taxi to take them to the newly built military hotel. It was nothing much, but it was nicer than the other military hotels around the country.

In the morning, Edward left Winry asleep in the hotel bed, dressed in his military uniform and headed to a newly erect military building. It was only small, and he spent most of the day there attending meetings and taking notes about the efficiency of the posting. In the afternoon he went back to the hotel and took a long shower, sighing with relief that most of the work was done. He only had one more meeting to attend in the morning, and then he could continue with his plans.

Winry and Al had explored a little of the town in the morning, and had got themselves lunch and met up with Edward outside the remains of the Church of Leto. The sun was incredibly warm and Edward felt too hot in his thin black shirt and light trousers.

Al informed Winry in detail about what they had done here when they were younger. Edward listened to his brother's commentary, occasionally adding his own opinion and point of view to certain comments. His eyes traced the transmuted statue of the sun god and smiled at his young and arrogant fifteen year old self. Al's narrative was interrupted and Edward's thoughts were disturbed when they heard a gasp behind them. Edward turned around slightly only to have someone's arms thrown around him.

He staggered back utterly confused by the arms that had wrapped around him and the shoulder buried in his shoulder. He looked down to see long brown hair.

"You're back!" the woman mumbled happily.

Edward glanced uncertainly at Winry, realising that he looked like a fool with his arms raised in the air as if being attacked. Winry was staring firmly at the statue of Leto and Al was looking uncomfortable. He tried to push the woman away, and eventually she pulled back; her dull pink bangs of her fringe stuck to her face.

She held onto his forearms and looked up into her face smiling brightly. "Edward Elric. I haven't seen you for such a long time! I was wondering when you were coming to visit," she said.

He cleared his throat. "Yeah...it's been a while, Rose..."

Her touch on his arm felt wrong. He didn't like it, and glanced over desperately at his brother and Winry who was standing close by. She looked at Edward and saw him looking at the people he was with.

"Oh, you brought these two with you..." she said a little disappointed. She let go of his arms, making him relax a little.

"Hello Rose," Al said reaching out to take her hand and shake it.

"Oh my goodness, is that you, Alphonse?" Rose said, her eyes widening.

He nodded uncomfortably and Rose gaped at him like a fish. Edward stood next to Winry, and she glanced at him, her mouth in a thin line. He grimaced know that this was exactly what she had been worried about what would happen. Rose then turned to Winry.

"And Winry! How nice to see you! Haven't seen you since you stayed with me here," she said, taking Winry's hand in her own.

"Nice to see you too," Winry replied curtly, pulling her hand away. Deciding she needed a little support and understanding her frustration, Edward used his initiative and casually draped his left arm around her shoulders. He didn't miss Rose's eyes trailing along his arm.

After a tense silent moment, Rose clapped her hands together and smiled. "You simply must come to my apartment for some coffee. Some say it's too hot for coffee, but I disagree – it's never too hot for it! I have plenty...my apartment is just down a few streets..." she said, turning away.

Edward glanced at Al who shrugged at him and began to follow Rose. Winry shrugged out of Edward's hold and smiled lightly at him and also followed, but stopped when Rose had turned back. Her smile grew and she reached forward and grabbed Edward's right hand and began dragging him down the street. He struggled against her, desperate not to leave Winry, and peered over his shoulder to try and give Winry a sympathetic and apologetic look.

"Rose, let go of me, I can walk by myself," he said, tugging free from her tight grasp.

"Of course you can! And now I can too, thanks to you," she said, tilting her head and winking. They passed into the shadows of the buildings and reached her apartment. Rose continued to talk a lot about herself and about everything Edward had done for her.

Up the stairs, Edward felt extremely uncomfortable as Rose led the way, obviously swaying her hips a little. Again he glanced over his shoulder to see Winry staring bitterly at the floor. How he didn't want to be here right now! When they reached the landing, Rose inserted her key into the door and pushed it open, revealing her small apartment. She led her guests into the living room and then went into the kitchen, insisting that Edward came with her. He declined and hastily sat down. Rose pouted and turned away to go into the kitchen and Edward exhaled slowly, patting the space beside him on the sofa for Winry to sit next to him. She complied, and Al sat in the armchair next to the sofa on the other side of Edward.

Once Winry had sat down, he took her hand in his and squeezed it. He moved his head close to her ear.

"I am so sorry," he mumbled.

"This is the reason I was doubtful on coming to Leore," Winry whispered back, her eyes darting around the room.

"I would have thought she would have grown up...I didn't know she had this impulse with me," he whispered desperately.

Winry shook her head and then moved her mouth close to his ear. "She's a kind girl, but I don't think she understands some things..." Winry breathed angrily. "I think I made it a little obvious that I had feelings for you when I stayed with her all those years ago-"

"You did?" Edward said, breaking their whisperings. Had Winry felt more than friendship towards him for that long?

She pressed her fingers to her lips and after a moment whispered back. "Of course I did. But I think she was trying to show to me that she had...feelings for you too."

"How do you know?" he whispered quickly, when they heard Rose's footsteps coming back from the kitchen.

"Women's initiative," Winry replied swiftly, before looking up and smiling thinly at Rose's reappearance.

They all took their coffee mugs from Rose and as they drank them, Rose asked Edward many questions. Occasionally she would ask a question to Al, who would reply happily, and Edward felt very thankful to his brother for understanding the difficult situation he and Winry had been placed in. He squeezed Winry's hand tighter each time Rose threw him a long look as Al spoke and sometimes batted her eyes and smiled a little. Edward felt slightly sick – there was no way in the world that he was attracted to his woman. She was just another person he had helped when he was younger and in search of his own personal goal.

When he looked at Winry, he saw that she was staring blankly at Rose. He quickly looked over Winry to see if she had any wrenches hidden on her, but then sat back thinking that she could easily conceal one, but he didn't want a fight to start out. He drank his coffee very quickly in the hope that it would let them leave early. However, this result had a hindrance on his bladder. He rose from the living room asking for directions to her bathroom, where Rose pointed out that it was the furthest room down the hallway.

He left the room and made his way to the bathroom and relieved himself. He splashed some cool water on his face from the sink after he had pulled the chain on the toilet and looked at himself in the mirror, noticing his flushed face. He hastily flattened his hair a little, and pulled up his ponytail at the back of his head tighter. He sighed and then opened the door but found someone on the other side, blocking his exit.

Rose stood right before him, and pressed a finger to his lips. She smiled a little and reached up as if to kiss him. Edward stepped back as quick as he could to avoid her, and she paused in her little pout.

"What's wrong?" she said.

"What the fuck?" Edward replied angrily.

"I thought you still had feelings for me," Rose replied frowning.

Edward gaped at her. "What the _fuck_?" he repeated. Since when had he shown feelings towards _her_?

She flicked her pink bangs out of her eyes. "Well, you defiantly had a crush on me when you were here when you were fifteen," she smirked moving closer to him again and taking his hand.

His temper rose and he pulled away his hand. "Two things Rose: One I was fifteen when I met you and I've only met you once, I don't even know you and two, I have never taken a fancy to you!"

"But-"

"I've only ever had eyes for one person, and she's sat in your living room right now-"

"Winry? Oh come on, she's a nice girl, but you can do so much better than her-"

"Get over yourself!" he shouted. He hadn't felt this angry for a long time.

"She's got nothing to her-" Rose began, attempting to step closer to him.

"She's talented, beautiful and too goddamn good for me-"

Rose scoffed. "No way. You are missing what's right in front of you – me," Rose said, crossing her arms.

"I'm marrying her," Edward said bluntly, and then felt slightly elated inside. He had wanted to say that many times, but had kept it a secret.

Rose stared at him with her mouth open in shock as if she had just been slapped.

"Look, I appreciate what you did for Winry a few years ago, but grow the fuck up Rose," Edward said, and pushed past her and stormed down the hallway back into the living room.

Winry looked up as he entered and then stood up, Al following. "We're leaving, now," Edward said angrily. They exchanged glances and followed him out of the apartment.

When they were on the street, Edward took Winry's hand and they made their way back to the hotel. They had an evening meal in the hotel's restaurant and not much was said between the trio, until Edward cleared his throat during the main course.

"Winry, I would really like to apologise for what happened today, but I can honestly swear to you that I had nothing to do with it. I have no idea who that woman was we saw this afternoon," Edward said. He was still angry and shaken from the encounter in the afternoon. Instead he turned his thoughts back to his plans.

Al nodded. "I don't understand at all. Winry; both you and I know Rose was a kind person when we saw her a few years ago."

Winry nodded. "I know that. But Ed, I believe you. You looked so uncomfortable, at times it was funny," she said and smiled.

Edward exchanged glances with Al and Winry and then they started chuckling and then began laughing loudly and Edward remembered that these were two people he loved dearly and were his best friends. Once their laughter had subsided and their dishes had been cleared away, Edward reached into his coat pocket and slipped a note across the table to both Al and Winry.

Al glanced at him and then at Winry, who picked up the note curiously. "Read it out loud, Winry," Al asked.

She nodded and unfolded the note, and read the letter out clearly to the table.

" _Dear Mr Alphonse and Miss Winry,_

_I have spoken at length with Mr Edward and he came up with the idea for you to take a trip to Xing for a vacation. I have been in talks with the ambassadors who are eagerly anticipating your welcome to our country and Emperor Ling Yao has requested a private audience with you two and Mr Edward._

_I too, look forward to seeing you again. It has been some time._

_Best wishes,_

_Princess May Chang_ "

Winry dropped the letter and Edward beamed at her. Al stared at him with his mouth open.

"Are you serious?" he said.

Edward laughed and nodded. "We will leave tomorrow afternoon after my meeting. A guide is taking us across the desert," he said, reaching across the table and squeezing Winry's hand who was staring at him speechless.


	26. Tears

Edward wasn't surprised to see that Youswell hadn't changed much since his last visit nearly ten years ago. The only difference was that it was an incredibly busy and thriving mine after he had helped them out. There were many new buildings and by the looks of it, it seemed that the profit from the mines was indeed great. Not only that but by being so close to the desert, Youswell was a hot-spot for tourists who wanted to look at the desolate land and make special trips to Xerxes.

On the train from Leore to Youswell, Edward had listened with a smiled on his face as Alphonse had told Winry what they had done to the town of Youswell when they had visited in the past. She had scolded them both for their recklessness, and also for Edward turning the pieces of coal into gold. He was greatly amused when she then admitted that it had been a good idea when they tricked Yoki. Even though he was sure that the visit to the mining town would be fine and run smoothly, he was still apprehensive and would be much happier once they arrived in Xing.

The town was busy when they arrived around the mid-morning. Edward kept his head down and took Winry's hand to keep her close and made sure Al was following as they walked down a few streets with their suitcases. He was searching for an inn where they would grab an early lunch and stock up on supplies as they crossed the desert. Eventually they found the inn he was looking form knowing that the food would be delicious and plentiful.

"I remember this place," Al muttered next to him.

Edward nodded, smiled and pushed the doors open, revealing the inn he had stayed in the first time he was in Youswell. The room was packed full, but by carefully weaving through the crowds, Edward found the three of them a table and they waited to be served. Winry glanced at the small menu on the table, appeared to make her decision of brunch mentally and then passed the menu to Edward who shook his head. The last time he had been here, he had eaten the delicious all-day Amestrian Breakfast, served with extra rashers of bacon and hash browns. It had been delicious the morning after he had helped the locals all of those years ago, and he was sure, by the amount of people packed into the small inn, that it would be just as good, if not better. Also, it had been one of the meals Al had added to his small book of food he was going to eat once he got his body back. As if his younger brother had read his mind, Al pulled out said book from his trouser pocket and happily crossed off 'Youswell Amestrian Breakfast'.

In the distance, a loud bell rang, signalling the lunch break for the mine workers. Edward kept his head down until it was inevitable that he was going to get noticed.

"...hang on, isn't that Edward Elric?" one voice said loudly, making the room fall silent. Edward reluctantly looked up to see the whole room staring at him. He was suddenly thumped on the back.

"Well, if it isn't Ed Elric!" a tall man with a moustache and goatee said, pulling off his miner helmet. "I haven't seen you in these parts for years," he said. Edward could vaguely remember the man who had attempted to charge him two thousand cenz for a night stay, who was called Halling.

A teenage boy stood next to Halling and smiled broadly. Edward recognised the teenager as Khayal, who had been a boy when Edward had last seen him. "Nice to see you Ed... and wow, you're not short anymore!" he said.

"Don't act so surprised," Edward mumbled as a few people nodded and chuckled in agreement with Khayal.

Their food arrived much quicker and Al introduced himself as the boy in the armour from the last time they were there, causing an abundance of questions to erupt around them. Al responded incredibly politely, although Edward could tell that he was eager to just eat his highly anticipated brunch that was sat in front of him. None the less, he carefully told the locals a brief version of what had happened on the Promised Day and lightly said that alchemy had released him from the armour (telling them that he had a boy stuck inside the armour, not a soul). He carefully avoided questions that would arouse suspicion and alarm.

Halling then turned to Winry, who was munching on a bacon and egg baguette. "Now who is this lovely young lady you're travelling with?" he asked, and the crowd shifted their gaze to Winry who blushed a little.

"Winry Rockbell, sir," she replied, wiping her mouth with a napkin and smiling.

"Winry Rockbell?" someone called. "Aren't you that famous automail mechanic?" People in the crowd nodded and mumbled in agreement.

Edward raised his eyebrows and watched a little amused when her cheeks turned red.

"Oh yeah, I've heard of you too!" another called.

"You have?" Winry asked curiously.

The crowd murmured in agreement. Halling placed a hand on her shoulder. "There have been a few articles about you in the Amestris Express. It was also reported in there that you built Ed's automail," Halling said, beaming at her. "I just can't believe how young you are!"

"And pretty!" someone shouted, making a few laugh.

"Can I have your number?" another called, making Edward splutter.

A bell rang again in the distance and the crowd began to disperse slowly, saying farewell to the trio. Halling and Khayal took their leave with the rest and headed back to the mines, and wished them luck on their journey, like last time. Edward sighed with relief when they were left virtually alone to finish off their brunch. As Edward wiped his plate clean with a piece of bread, Al clicked his tongue under his breath.

"How can you eat so much? You don't have to eat for me anymore," he sighed, making Winry chuckle.

Edward looked up at them both. "What? I can't help it that I like my food," he replied, wiping his full mouth with a napkin.

He felt wonderfully stuffed and made a mental note to take more visits out to Youswell if he was ever in the eastern part of the country. He silently decided that the food was worth annoyance of being hassled by the locals. At least they weren't asking him for lots of money. In fact, when their bill arrived at the table, he saw that they were only paying for one meal. He smiled, pulled out his wallet and happily put more than enough money to pay for all three of them. The delicious food had put him in a good mood, and even though the locals could be annoying, he concluded that they were only being friendly. Abruptly, he shook his head, wondering when he had turned so soft. Then his eyes fell on Winry who was sat across the table from him and was talking enthusiastically to a waitress who was asking about Central City. He tilted his head slightly and smiled as he watched her eyes light up as she spoke about the automail shops in Central, even though it was clear the waitress was asking about the designer _clothing_ shops, not the automail ones. Al, who was sat next to Winry caught his eye and raised his eyebrows and chuckled. Edward scratched his head and tore his gaze away from Winry, who was the happiest she had been for a while... he couldn't help that he enjoyed looking at her. How many times had he denied himself that luxury when they had been younger?

New arrivals in the inn made him glance at the door. Two Xingeese men people stood in the doorway, clad in light-shaded cloaks. They looked around the bar, until they spotted Edward who raised a hand at them. They made their way through the crowd and bowed at Edward when they reached the table. He stood up and shook their hands.

"Where is ... err, the person I wrote to?" he asked curiously. He was expecting three of them here.

"She is waiting with an entourage in the Xerxes ruins, sir," the taller of the two said. He had a small black moustache, fashioned in the popular Xingeese way. "Huan and I shall escort you to Xerxes," he said. The man names Huan, slightly shorter, stepped forwards and bowed slightly.

"Ah, err, don't bow please...and don't call me sir...what's your name by the way?" Edward said as Winry and Al came to stand next to him.

The taller Xing man smiled thinly. "Bolin, sir...ah, apologies," he said and turned to Al and Winry. "You must be Alphonse-sama, yes?" he said, bowing.

Al smiled uncomfortably. "Please, just call me Al"

The two Xingeese men eyed him for a moment, before Huan, the shorter one spoke to Winry.

"And you are Miss Winry? The desert is a treacherous place, especially for a woman," Huan said.

"I'll be fine," she said firmly and smiled.

"Very well," Bolin nodded. "Are you ready to leave now? We have a few horses stabled out the back-"

"Excuse me! Miss Rockbell?" the waitress from before came up behind them.

Winry smiled. "Yes?"

"There's a phone call for you," she said quickly, her pale grey eyes darting between Winry and Edward.

"For me?" Winry said, and glanced at Edward, before following the waitress to a small office behind the bar. Edward motioned for Al to stay with the Xingeese, as he made his way to the small office after them. He felt his stomach twist with concern when Winry picked up the phone, muttered apologies to the manager of the inn and spoke into the receiver.

"...I don't take too well to customers using the staff line," the manager said under his breath as he shifted some paperwork off his desk, keeping a careful eye on Winry.

Edward whipped out a few cenz from his back pocket and placed them quietly on the desk, not taking his eyes off Winry.

"...yes, this is Winry Rockbell speaking. Who is this?"

The manager glimpsed the cenz on the table and quickly scooped them up, patted Edward on the back and left the office. The waitress stayed silent in the corner.

"She's what?" Winry exclaimed suddenly.

Edward moved forward instinctively, put she glanced at him and held her hand up, and he stopped in his tracks and waited.

"...I see...is it possible to speak to her? Yes...yes...thank you..." she said, then placed a hand over the receiver and glanced at Edward again. "It's Granny..." she whispered, before putting her ear against the receiver again. "Granny! I...yes...yes...but Granny...just take it easy...me be careful? What about you? Yes, Den is fine, one of my mechanics in Dublith is looking after her...alright...Granny, please be alright...why didn't you tell me...I suppose so...yes...I'll bring you back a souvenir from Xing...I'll be back in Resembool in a week...yes...bye, Granny," she said.

Winry placed the receiver back down in its tray on the small desk, her back turned to Edward. There were a few moments silence, where Edward tried to figure out the conversation Winry had had with her grandmother. He fidgeted with his automail finger, before he heard a small sob. He snapped his head up to see Winry's shoulders shaking.

"Winry!" he said, and wrapped his arms around her. She turned in his embrace to face him and sniffed.

"Sorry..." she mumbled, and Edward could tell that she was trying very hard not to cry. How he hated to see her cry! He presses a thumb to her cheek and wiped away a tear.

"What's happened?" he asked quietly.

She took a deep rattling breath and turned her gaze away from him. "Granny's in hospital...she had a stroke yesterday," she murmured into his chest.

"A stroke? Oh hell Winry...we don't have to go to Xing if you want to head back to Resembool-"

"No, no, it will be alright. The doctor on the phone said that her health was getting better, and that she would be sent home within the next few days. I must see her on the way back though," she said, bringing a hand up to her face and rubbing her eyes.

"Of course...I...I wish there was more we could do..." he said. He was torn at the moment. His plans for this trip had been to make Winry and his brother happy, but with the news of Pinako's deteriorating health, Edward knew that a portion of Winry would be constantly thinking about her elderly grandmother, and he grimaced at the fact that she would not be able to enjoy herself wholeheartedly. He had even written to Pinako telling her of his plans to Xing, and she had replied in a letter that was quite emotional and honest...not like the Pinako he knew.

"Winry, your grandmother's a Rockbell, remember? She's as stubborn as anything," he said, smiling.

Winry smiled back weakly. "You're right. We had better get going then, eh? Oh, and who is it that we are meeting at Xerxes?"

Edward put his arm around her as they walked out of the office, nodding a thank you to the waitress. "You can't tell Al if I tell you," he said.

"Alright..." she said, wiping her eyes as they entered the inn again.

"I'll tell you in a minute," he muttered as Huan and Bolin approached with Al.

"Tears will do you no good in the desert, miss," Huan said, noticing Winry's red eyes.

She nodded, her jaw set. "I know that, hence the reason why I'm not wasting them," she said briskly, making both Xingeese men's eyebrows rise.

"We're ready to leave now," Edward said, glaring at Huan angrily. He knew that he wasn't going to get on well with this particular Xing man.

They packed up the horses with supplies and as Edward helped Winry on her horse, she grabbed his wrist and pulled him close. "You didn't tell me...just who _are_ we meeting?" she asked.

He smiled and whispered in her ear. "May Chang," he replied, and then jumped on his own horse, winking at Winry, who was smiling at Al, who was none-the wiser.


	27. Foreign

It was a four hour trek out to the ruins of Xerxes. The horses walked slowly and carefully in the heat, their hooves sinking lightly in the sand. Edward felt sweat all over him, and his automail port ached making his leg feel twice as heavy and three times as hot. What made his automail seem heavier was the mental knowledge that even though the trip to Xerxes was complete, they still had two more days of slow riding before they reached the border of Xing.

Edward glanced at Winry who was slouched in her saddle. She flicked him a small smile and then continued to stare ahead at the approaching ruins, where they would set up camp and stay the night. Edward felt a pang of guilt: it was a lot of effort to talk as they rode and he knew that Winry's thoughts were currently concerned with her grandmother's health. Inside him too he felt worry for the stubborn Rockbell woman, but not as much as he felt guilty for practically stealing Winry away from the precious remaining time with Pinako, who could very well be on her deathbed.

He tried to push all thoughts of concern out of his head as they finally reached the ancient ruined city. His only thoughts now were of the natural cooling pool of fresh cold water, and being able to submerge himself in it to relax. However, Edward was surprised to see a fair amount of people around. Xerxes had thrived in the past year as an incredibly popular tourist destination. When Edward had visited the ruins all those years ago, it was the home of exiles and runaways. Now there are market stalls and food vendors. Huan and Bolin guided them down a few abandoned streets that were covered in vegetation and glorious shade, until they reached a ruined great hall. As Edward dismounted, he glanced up at the collapsed roof, but his eyes fell on the faded mural on the wall underneath and surrounded by sprouts of grass. He remembered being curious by it in the past and unaware of the true secrets it held, but now he felt anger, as memories of what the broken circle and the symbols meant came flooding back. He clenched his fist in annoyance and also in dull pain, as his nerves twitched in his automail port in his leg. He felt Winry stand next to him as he found some water in the knapsack on his horse.

"So this is the place you told me about? Where your father came from?" she asked. Edward nodded and drank some water, accidently spilling some, making a few drops fall on his automail foot, causing the droplets to hiss as they touch the burning metal. Winry glared at him. "Your automail is burning! You should have said something! I can't imagine how much pain your ports are giving you. Let me have a look," she said.

Edward grimaced. "I'm fine, just a little warm," he grumbled.

"You're probably twice as hot as any of us here! Let me look," she said, placing her hands on her hips.

He rolled his eyes, knowing full well that she was right. "You can look at it a little later – I don't think our escorts are too patient," he mumbled, and Winry glanced over her shoulder and reluctantly nodded.

As Al tied up his horse next to Edward's, he looked over curiously to a large tent underneath the mural. "Are those more escorts?" he wondered aloud.

"Huan said that we have to meet someone in there, before we rest," Winry said through clenched teeth, glancing at Edward's automail again. "But as soon as we've met...whoever we are meeting," she said carefully, glancing at Al, "I'm going to look at your automail Ed."

"Yes, yes, woman!" Edward exclaimed in mock exasperation, throwing his hands up above his head. He couldn't help but notice that she was already treating him as if she were his wife. Then when he thought about it, she had always been like that, especially when it came to his automail – nag, nag and nag! The only problem was that he hadn't asked her, and the last time they spoke of it, Winry had been incredibly bitter towards it all, due to the sickening couple who had sat next to them.

"Mr Elric," Huan said, approaching with Bolin. "You, your younger brother and the young woman are required in the Royal tent: be sure not to keep her waiting."

Edward nodded and followed Huan, with Winry and Al close on his heels. The tent was circular and right beneath the mural. The roof was raised in the middle and Edward estimated that it could easily fit at least twenty-five men inside it. Two smartly dressed Xingeese men pulled open the tent flap and bowed to them. Bolin stepped in front of them all and entered the tent first. After a moment, the trio entered behind Huan. It was cool and dark inside, and it took a little time for Edward's eyes to adjust from the brightness outside. In front of him, there was a deep red carpet on the stone floor that led to the back of the tent. On a tall wooden chair surrounded by silent servants and soft cushions was a young woman with long black braided hair.

"Princess Chang: I present to you Mr Edward Elric, Miss Winry Rockbell and Mr Alphonse Elric," Bolin said formally, bowing and silently urging Edward, Al and Winry to do the same.

"Alphonse..." the young woman whispered, moving into the light and smiling.

Edward watched with amusement as his younger brother next to him gulped and looked up from his bow. Edward and Winry straightened, quickly followed by Al, who couldn't take his eyes off the approaching woman. May Chang (who was no longer a little 'bean' girl) stood in front of Al and beamed at him, who smiled weakly back at her.

"May...You're looking well," Al said, dropping his head slightly.

"As are you!" I'm so happy to see you well and healthy, Alphonse!" she laughed, patting his upper arm, making his face turn red.

A tall and thin woman, who had been standing next to May's chair, cleared her throat. May looked over her shoulder and then back at Al, inclining her head. "A pleasure to meet you again, Mr Alphonse Elric," she said formally. May then turned to Edward and nodded. Edward grimaced at the fact that she was only a head shorter than him, and was most certainly taller than Winry. "Thank you for your reply in regards to my letters."

Edward nodded and smiled. "You're welcome. Thanks for your hospitality and escorts," he said formally, feeling uncomfortable. He wasn't used to so much formality.

"And... Miss Winry! It is a delight to see you," May said happily, dipping her head.

Winry bowed again and smiled. "You have grown so much, Princess May," she said.

May glanced over her shoulder again and then turned back to Winry. "Would you care to join me for a walk around the ruined palace gardens in private? I hear the gardens are quite exquisite, despite being in the middle of the desert."

Winry beamed. "I would love to, but I need to have a quick look at Ed's automail first, if that's okay?"

"Of course!" May replied, her eyes flicking to Edward, noticing the sweat on his brow and his obvious discomfort. Edward silently thanked Winry. May snapped her fingers hesitantly. "Li, please could you make sure the Elric brothers are escorted to the cooling pool and are given a fresh set of clothes to change into and also travelling clothes for the rest of the journey tomorrow. Oh, and the same for Miss Winry too, please. I shall meet you at the pool in half an hour," May said to Winry and then turned away.

It was obvious that they were dismissed, as the tent flaps behind them and two new escorts were assigned to them: a man and a woman. They walked a little further into the ruins in silence, mainly because they were so absorbed at looking at the derelict buildings. A little further around another street, there were a few tents set up that were much smaller than May's tent. The woman guided Winry to a separate tent and she shrugged her shoulders at Edward and followed the woman. Edward and Al were to share a tent, and the man explained that the beds had been rolled out and that there was an old disused washroom in the building they were camping next to. They were left in the small tent to unpack, where there wasn't enough room to stand up, but it was pleasantly cool. A fresh set of clothes had been placed on the bed rolls but Edward ignored them and quickly tore off his shirt and lay down exasperated.

"You didn't tell me we were meeting May here," Al said quietly, his back to him as he rummaged through his rucksack.

Edward smiled lazily. "It was a surprise. I didn't think she would actually come all this way though...they are heading back to Xing tomorrow with us."

Al remained silent, and it appeared that he was about to say something until light footsteps halted outside the tent door.

"Can I come in?" Winry's muffled voice asked.

"As long as you don't hit me with a wrench," Edward replied sarcastically.

The tent flap was pulled open and Winry climbed in with a tool box in her hands. "Very funny," she replied, just as sarcastic. "The sooner I get this done, the sooner you can go in that cooling pool, alright?" she said, sitting at the foot of Edward's bed roll.

Edward grumbled and lay still and closed his eyes and he heard Winry open her toolbox and lay out her tools. He heard her pull on her gloves and sigh and tut under her breath. She told him when she was about to disconnect his nerves and spoke quietly to Alphonse about the biological side to automail, like they had done when they had first moved into the house in Dublith. He grit his teeth as the nerves were reattached around ten minutes later, and already noted how much lighter it felt. He sat up and looked down at his leg where the metal looked incredibly thin.

"Is this strong enough?" he said doubtfully.

"Do you want a wrench in your head or not?" Winry snapped and then rubbed her head. "Of course it's strong enough. I'm not Dublith's best automail mechanic without a reason."

"I know..." he replied, glancing at Alphonse, who shrugged his shoulders.

Winry pulled off her gloves and packed her tools away. "I'm sorry to snap at you both. This heat is just making me irritable and...things are on my mind," she admitted, closing the lid of her toolbox.

Edward rubbed her shoulder. "Don't worry about it. Let's head to the pool...I really need to cool off," he said, and they each climbed out of the tent. Edward cursed himself: Winry's thoughts on her grandmother were affecting her more than he had supposed, because it was unlike her to be affected by something, no matter what it was. She would hardly ever snap or shout, but would keep smiling and continue like nothing was happening. He watched her as she smiled and nudged Al in front of him, obviously saying something about May. She seemed to be distracting herself now...hopefully it could stay that way for a little longer.

The pool was surrounded by Xing guards who handed towels to the trio, and Edward eagerly stripped to his boxers and jumped into the pool. The water was blissfully cool, and he let himself get covered in it all, since Winry had made Edward's automail water-tight. Winry dunked her hands i the water and splashed her face and Al also took off his shirt but splashed water over him rather than getting in.

"Eww, brother, you do realise the horses are drinking out of that, right?" Al said, raising his eyebrows.

"I don't care. It's cool," he mumbled, dunking his head under again, so the cool water washed all over him.

"Ed, you may want to stay in there for a moment. I think May is coming with her strict entourage," Winry said quickly, drying her face.

A servant walked beside May, carrying a parasol over May's head to keep her cool. Edward couldn't help but notice that she looked uncomfortable by this as she glanced at the servant. Winry and Al bowed again as stopped in front of them. Edward watched as May's eyes turned to his shirtless younger brother, who was by no means as skinny as when she had last seen him. Edward had to submerge his face in the water again to stop himself from laughing as both Al and May blushed. When he surfaced a few moments later, the introductions were over and a servant with a spare parasol was walking over to Winry.

"It's alright, I'll carry it myself," Winry said politely but firmly, taking the parasol out of the servant's hands. She smiled back at Edward and Al and then turned and walked away with May, who left unescorted. Most of the Xing servants then departed also, so it was just Edward and his brother. Edward leant up against the side of the pool and smirked up at his brother, who was pulling a clean cotton shirt on.

"You like May," Edward said smugly.

Al froze, and then turned his head away. "I don't know what you mean," he replied.

Edward scoffed and pulled himself out of the pool. He grabbed his towel and quickly dried himself off and skilfully changed into his fresh set of clothes whilst his towel was wrapped around his waist.

"Don't deny it Al. I know you've always had a soft spot for the bean girl," Edward chuckled, rubbing his hair with a towel.

"She's a princess, Ed," Al said shortly, picking up Ed's clothes off the ground.

"Like that matters? You helped save Amestris. May helped save Amestris." Al remained silent, as they continued to walk back to the tent. "Al, remember how excited she was to see you when we were younger? She had a crush on you-"

"And she's much older than that now. She's probably betrothed to someone anyway," Al grumbled.

Edward knew he was getting somewhere. "But you don't deny you like her?" he said quietly.

Al stopped in front of him, and Edward felt a little anxious. After a moment's pause in which it seemed Al was completing on which words to use next, he glanced at Edward. "You're a fine one to talk: Mr 'I-didn't-know-I've-loved-Winry-all-my-life'," Al said, making Edward blush.

"Nice one, little brother," Edward replied, and continued to walk back to the tent.

They stayed in silence for a while, until they reached the tent. Night was falling fast, and the air temperature in the desert began to fall quickly. Edward decided to drop the subject of May until later – he wasn't going to let this one rest. The amount of times Al had laughed at his awkwardness with Winry, or asked him personal questions to make him uncomfortable: this was the big-brother's job to do, not the other way around!

Winry returned to the tent just as dinner was sent to them. Winry climbed in the tent with the brothers and they ate the leftover food from their travels, after being rest assured that they would not need it for the rest of the journey – the food from then on, would be Xing food, and Amestrian food being brought in Xing was a new occurrence, and one that the locals had not been accustomed to. Instead, the trio sat in the brothers' tent and munched on sandwiches.

"So how was your walk with May?" Al asked as they finished their sandwiches.

Winry glanced at Edward, who felt himself smile. "Wondering if she talked about you?" Edward said smirking.

"No, nothing like that!" Al spluttered, glaring at his older brother. Edward laughed.

"Stop it Ed," Winry said firmly, but she too was smiling. "It was nice catching up with her. I haven't seen her since she left to go East with Envy, but she went to Central instead..."

"What did you talk about?" Al asked, Making Edward laugh again.

Winry raised her eyebrows. "It was mainly girl-talk, Al. I know you don't want to hear about that and that's something I'm not going to share with either of you. She told me that she's been working closely with the Yao clan in setting up treaties with Amestris. Despite being so young, May is quite respected in Xing and is a high authority figure in Xingeese politics," Winry said seriously. "I can't help but feel like she has too much weight on her shoulders."

The remained silent as they mulled this over. Edward realised that a lot must have changed in Xing with the return of Ling, Lan Fan and May, and it had been news in Amestris that Ling had become the new Emperor of Xing.

Winry nudged Al. "Hey Al, do you remember what I told you after May left up north before we went to Leore?" Winry said smiling.

Al shook his head and Edward listened curiously.

"May's a royal princess and if you play your cards right or something... Well now's your chance!" Winry said.

Edward couldn't help but laugh as his younger brother's face turned red. Al turned away from them both. "You're as bad as each other. I need to go to sleep if we've got more desert to cross tomorrow," Al grumbled.

"Oh that's right!" Winry said, smacking her head lightly. "We're not travelling by horse or camel tomorrow – we're riding the train!" she said happily.

"Train?" Edward said in unison to Al.

She nodded. "Mustang has been in discussions with Xing and they have been building a train line from Xing to Amestris, detouring to Xerxes and Ishval. It's not complete yet, but we can catch a train from Xerxes to Xing, making the journey much shorter! Didn't May tell you?" Winry said.

After more discussion about the train line and the luxury of travelling in a royal carriage the following day, Winry bade the brother's goodnight, winked at Edward and left the tent. Edward lay down on his bed roll and pretended to fall asleep. As soon as he heard his brother's breathing slow and deepen, he sat up and silently crept out of the tent. The ruins of Xerxes were being watched over by the moon, and with the moonlight, Edward stumbled across to Winry's tent and snuck inside. He pulled the tent flap down behind him and in the darkness could see that Winry was still awake. She smiled at him and bade him to come to her. Edward felt warm, even though the night was cool, and silently they shared a secret night together, for they hadn't made love for nearly two weeks due to their travelling, and he knew that once they reached Xing, because they weren't married, they were probably going to be given separate quarters once they got there. Their gasps were quiet and seemed somewhat forbidden, making the desire grow. Edward snuck back to his tent in the early hours of the morning, kissing Winry desperately on the mouth before he left, knowing he could not touch her until they were back from Xing, and he had made his ... proposition.

The train was in a slightly different style to the Amestrian trains. Sure, it was the same on the outside, but inside the seats in the common carriages were closer together and the ceiling was lower. Edward grimaced at himself noticing this: he had obviously spent too much time travelling on trains to know the difference. Edward was escorted with Al and Winry to the Royal carriage at the rear of the train, which was slightly longer than the others and was decorated quite extravagantly. Inside there were no seats, but cushions and rugs and little low tables. It felt weird to be travelling on a train in no proper seat, but after a while he became used to it and eventually he felt his eyes droop as the six hour train ride continued across the desert, only stopping once to refuel due to the modern design of the train which was more efficient.

Edward couldn't help but fall asleep, and noted that Winry did the same – they had stayed up most of the night. He felt his face colour a bit and looked across the carriage where he watched his younger brother tell an interesting story to May who was holding onto his every word. The servants had been dismissed into another carriage for most of the journey, and Edward noted how relaxed May seemed to be. As much as he loved teasing his younger brother, he couldn't be happier that Al had taken a shine to a girl: a girl who Edward knew had always been on Al's mind since the Promised Day. Winry sleepily noticed who Edward was watched and smiled, leaning close next to him.

"They've been flirting all day with each other," Winry sighed, stretching. "I'm glad Al likes her back," she said.

"Yeah? How do you know?" Edward asked curiously.

"I'm not supposed to say, but I've always had this notion that Al likes her... and, well yesterday, May said that she was happy to see Al but was embarrassed by her actions when she was younger... I do seriously think that May has been in love with Al for a while, but now she's shy," Winry whispered.

So May loved his younger brother? Smirking again, Edward closed his eyes and felt happy for his brother. He only wished that his brother wasn't going to be as dumb as himself and deny himself his girl.

The train pulled into the station in Xing in the late afternoon. Edward had managed to sleep off most of the journey, but it seemed that Al and May hadn't. He smugly noticed that they spoke to each other a fair bit, and Al even gave May a hand to help her off the train, making them both blush furiously.

The streets of Xing's Imperial City were bustling with market stalls selling exotic foods and the air was full of herbs and spices. It was unlike anywhere the trio had seen before and the amount of people contained within the city walls was breathtaking. They rode in a carriage together with May and were taken through the streets to the Imperial Palace. The Xingeese people who moved out of the way of the carriage tried to look inside to see who was there, and May gave a small way. A few shouts in Xing's native language were heard that resembled, Edward guessed, as 'Amestrians'!

The carriage arrived through the gates of the Imperial Palace into the courtyard that was as big as Central Command itself. As they climbed out of the carriage, Imperial Guards lined the way to the entrance of the Imperial Palace. Edward whistled quietly under his breath: he had been right in thinking that Furher King Bradley would have been a fool to attack Xing – their army was probably twice the size of Amestris'.

May led the way up the steps to the entrance of the palace, which was closed in by a high wall, where more guards stood watch and patrolled. The whole place was literally breath taking, and the palace walls looked crimson red in the setting sun. Everything was incredibly ornate with small dragon statues on the tips of the curved roofs, and golden figures of dragons and other animals lined the walls of the palace. Edward was speechless, and he wished his eyes were bigger so he could take in more of his surroundings. Winry had her hands clasped together in delight as she studied the architecture, but it was Al who caught Edward's attention. Al looked at the buildings in amazement, but his eyes couldn't help but flicker back to May walking in front and giving them small details on the history of the palace.

They walked across marble floors and down quiet corridors displaying traditional paintings – all of which told a story of Xing ancestors. Servants followed them, and Winry was shown to her room first. Seven servants followed her into her room and offered to wash her hair and scrub her back. Then May said that her quarters were in the West wing of the building, and so were the chambers in which Edward and Al were, although they weren't sharing a room. As Edward shooed away the servants that had been handed to attend him, he collapsed on the large low bed and marvelled at the luxurious satin on the bed covers and the canopy above his head.

Dinner was to be served that evening in the company of the Emperor, so fresh Xingeese clothes were laid out on a footstall near the washroom. After a relaxing bath in the huge tub, Edward pulled on the clothes and found their style quite interesting. There were no clothes like this back in Amestris: the collar was high around his neck and was stiff, and there was golden embroidery around the hem and near the silk buttons, where it fastened all the way down. The trousers were made out of the same stiff satin material and were also the same colour as the top – imperial red. May had said that it was an honour to be given red to wear when meeting the Emperor, because it brought good luck. He pulled the sandals on his feet, noting that it looked curiously odd that one foot was made of metal and the other flesh. He knew that would give the servants of this palace something to talk about.

Edward found his brother waiting outside his door, wearing a deep blue, and together they traced their steps back to Winry's room, discussing Xing's fashion sense, as Edward tugged on his collar. As they reached Winry's door, a servant stepped out and ushered them away, saying that she would arrive with the other women, in the traditional Xingeese style. Edward exchanged a glance with Al and they carried on walking down a few corridors, not really knowing where they were going.

Huan, one of the Xing men who had escorted them to Xerxes came around the corner and stopped in his tracks when he saw them.

"Where have you two been? The servants at your doors were worried they had lost you when you weren't in your chambers!" he said, dressed in Xing clothes that were almost block, and seemed to be the clothes for servants of the Imperial Palace.

They muttered apologies, and Huan looked them both up and down, to make sure they were dressed correctly. "Mr Edward, you must have you hair braided: its tradition!"

Edward stared. "I haven't braided my hair for years," he grumbled, pulling out his hair tie and quickly tying it into to a braid. He had worn his hair link this for most of his teenage years just to be different than his old man, but he had to admit that he preferred it just tied up simply.

Huan then met up found their other escort Bolin, and together the four of them were led (by even more servants) down grand corridors and open halls will marble pillars and detailed dragon statues. When they arrived at the Imperial Hall, where the emperor sits on a throne, Huan turned to the brothers.

"Don't say anything out of line. His Highness is a young man of great power and could easily through you out," Huan hissed quickly. Edward frowned at him, feeling his liking of this Xingeese man fade away.

They entered the Hall, which was incredibly long and was carpeted to the end, where a figure sat on a throne. Servants (yet again, Edward couldn't help but notice) lined the carpet trail with their heads bowed and their hands clasped together. Edward felt slightly nervous, even though he had known Ling quite well in the past, but it had been a fair few years since the Promised Day, and they were no longer teenagers, but adults and Ling was most certainly a teenager who had responsibility thrust upon him as soon as he returned from Amestris. As they got closer, Edward could see another figure by Ling wearing a mask and with a jolt, Edward realised it was Lan Fan. Huan and Bolin bowed and Huan hissed that Edward and Al do the same as they finally reached the throne of Emperor Ling Yao.


	28. Sorrow

Ling looked down at them from his throne. He wore exquisite clothes made of fine materials and his hair had been pulled back. He looked every inch a Xing Emperor.

"Huan, Bolin: thank you for bringing the Elric brothers here. You are dismissed," Ling said dryly. Huan and Bolin straightened and left the room through a side door. Edward looked up a little to see that Ling had turned to Lan Fan. "Lan Fan, could you tell the dinner staff to bring a table and cushions and call for the women to come down for dinner," Ling said. Lan Fan nodded and walked to the line of servants and gave them orders. Most of them were ushered away, and only Ling, Edward, Al and four members of the Imperial Guard remained.

Ling rose from his throne and motioned for Edward and Al to straighten. They did so, and there was a moment of silence as Ling looked at them both.

"It's been a while, eh Ed?" Ling said, reaching forward to punch his fist.

Edward, not expecting the informality suddenly laughed, and clapped him on the shoulder, making Ling laugh too. Ling reached for Al's shoulder and patted him on the back.

"You look much better than the last time I saw you! Not a skinny piece of meat or in a suit of armour," Ling said fondly.

It was like the reunion of old friends, Edward mused. But then technically it was: Edward hadn't really spoken to _Ling_ himself for a long time, except via the occasional letter. Most of the time, Ling had been consumed by Greed, and was in no control of his body.

"Look Ed, remember those times when you paid for all of my food? I must admit that Amestris food is delicious and plentiful...anyway, let me return the favour, and you enjoy a feast that will make up for any food bill you had to pay for me, alright?"

"Ling, I'm really not that bothered by it...anymore," Edward said.

"Hey, it's what you alchemists live by, isn't it? Equivalent Exchange? Time for me to pay you back." And with that, the doors flew open and low tables and plump cushions were being carried into the room.

The tables were set and Edward was surprised by how quick and efficient the servants were. Ling sat at the head of the low rectangle table, Edward and Al sat facing each other on the sides, near Ling. A gong rang nearby and the doors of the Imperial hall opened again to reveal Lan Fan again, but with two figures behind her. It was only as they got closer did Edward realise that it was Winry and May. Winry's hair was braided and then piled on top of her hair, but she still had her unique bangs hanging by her face. There was a flower in her hair and she wore a deep green outfit that was wrapped around her like a dressing-down or bathrobe. Edward mentally remembered that they were called kimonos. May was wearing something similar, but was dressed in a deep magenta colour: her hair also braided but in two buns on the side of her head. Both women carried small fans in their hands and wore pale face makeup, making Winry look like she had seen a ghost. Winry was shown to sit next to Edward and May was to sit next to Al, who smiled as May sat next to him. Edward leant over and whispered in Winry's ear.

"You look very Xingeese," he said smiling.

She put her fan down and whispered back. "I don't feel it. My hair feels like it's been pulled from my scalp and this kimono thing is boiling."

Edward chuckled and looked at Ling who was watching them with an amused smile on his face. Dinner was served and Winry spoke with Ling at length about the culture of Xing and was often joined in conversation by Al, who seemed completely fascinated. Winry was disappointed to learn that automail didn't exist over in Xing, but Ling did make the hint that her automail would be a welcome change under his rule. Al was very interested in the politics side and requested that he would like to learn more about the alchemic study, when May piped in that she would be happy to show him her research and that of her clan. Conversation was mainly light, but Edward was too focused on the food: everything was so different. There was no cutlery, but chopsticks, and most of the food was eaten out of bowls. The rice was delicious with so much flavour and there were new foods he had never seen before including dumplings and noodles.

Once the food had been eaten and the plates cleared, herbed tea was served as refreshment in small cups. It was during this time that the conversation turned towards Edward, who had been listening to most of the conversations and adding the occasional comment.

"So Ed, what are you doing in Amestris now?" Ling asked.

"Still in the military, but I'm not a State Alchemist anymore," Edward replied. He didn't really enjoy talking about his job: he didn't enjoy it, but he knew he was needed to make alchemic use within the military better and to close down the research conducted by scientists from years ago. Every week he would find more reports on his desk about another chimera that had been found and was either dead or dying. He voiced this out loud, accidently turning the mood down to a slightly depressing level.

It was late when they were finally dismissed. They all got up from the table, but Ling pulled Edward aside. He bade goodnight to Winry, May and Al, who left the Hall curiously.

"Lan Fan: could you leave us for a moment?" Ling said to Lan Fan, who had remained silent the whole night and had not touched the food. Edward looked at her as she nodded, glanced at Edward and then left the Hall too. There was a moment of silence as Ling sat back down in his throne, rubbing his head.

"It seems your brother Al is quite taken to Xing culture already," Ling said.

"That doesn't surprise me. He's always been interested as soon as you put Xing alchemy in his head when we met you," Edward replied, wondering where this conversation was leading.

"Indeed. Not only that, but I think your brother has taken a fancy to May Chang."

Edward chuckled. "Yeah, that's pretty obvious. Believe me, I like to rub that in his face."

"Ed...do you think Al will stay here in Xing with May ... under the protection of the Yao clan?" Ling said, seriousness plastered all over his face.

Edward hesitated. The thought had occurred to him, but he had thought Al would discuss it with him first. But deep down, he knew that his brother had always been interested in the purification arts and had studied hard on becoming a doctor.

"He wants to stay here and study Alkhestry with May, doesn't he?" Edward sighed.

"Is this a problem to you? As much as I would like him to stay, I would also like him to become Amestris' official Ambassador to Xing and seeing as you're in the military and I am in good contact with Furher Mustang..." Ling said.

Scratching his head, Edward eventually smiled. "That's a pretty big honour for someone so young. I thought ambassadors were old men forced to marry young wives from their visiting country?"

"It is an honour Alphonse fully deserves. And is an Amestrian I can fully trust. Although, I would have preferred it if you had become Ambassador too, but I don't think that's going to happen."

"What?" Edward said, surprised.

"I know you came here to propose to Winry. And even though it seems she loves this country, Lan Fan can tell that something is on her mind - a commitment back in Amestris?" Ling said curiously.

"How did you – wait...what?" Edward spluttered.

Ling rose from his throne and placed his hands on Edward's shoulders. "The balcony on the East Wing has a wonderful view of the city and the rich country of Xing." Ling smiled and then removed his hands and began to walk away. "It is likely that we won't see each other again during this stay. May Chang is in charge of your hospitality, but she will also be busy – there are political matters to attend to and I need to make a proposition to you brother in the morning. I hope to see you again soon, Ed." And with that, Ling left the Hall through a side door and Edward was left alone in the Imperial Hall to find his own way back to his quarters with his mind full of confused thoughts.

* * *

The days were spent exploring the city, meeting Xingeese people and trying to absorb as much of the culture as they possibly could. May was with the trio for most of the time and as always, they were surrounded by a host of servants willing to help them in anyway. Edward could see Al and May's relationship grow already and he silently cursed his younger brother one day as they went on a small boat trip down the Imperial City River. Al made it look so easy – Edward had struggled to come to terms with his attraction to Winry, but then again, Al was older than Edward had been when he had first noticed her to be more than his mechanic.

During the boat trip, Edward felt the little box in his pocket get heavier. He was never sure as to when the right time was. He had taken Ling's earlier advice into had and had taken Winry up to the balcony in the west wing of the palace, but he couldn't do it. That night, Winry had been very worried for her grandmother, and had felt guilty that she was enjoying herself in Xing whilst her grandmother suffered and waited for her return. These true emotions only came out on the rare times that they were together in the evenings and occasionally during the day, like at the moment on the river.

Edward and Winry were in one little boat that was almost a canoe and Al and May were in another. May was talking loudly about the history of the river and some of the poor people who live on the edge. Edward turned to Winry, feeling that this could have been the right moment to finally get what he needed off his chest.

"Winry," he said slowly. He hands were shaking and he could feel sweat on his brow, which was not helped by the stiff and warm collar on his satin shirt.

She looked at him and smiled. "Are you alright? Is your automail bothering you? I haven't looked at it for a few days and it was a new design of mine," she said.

Edward sighed and chuckled. "No, it's not my automail... it's me...well you," he said and then mentally scolded himself. He had ruined the moment.

"What do you mean?" Winry said carefully, her eyes narrowing.

"I mean...it's just that...Winry I have been an idiot for a long time and-" Ed began until May called that they had arrived back at the palace. "Never mind," he mumbled, giving Winry his hand and helping her out of the small boat. He thanked their driver and put a few Amestrian Cenz in his hand and then walked back to the palace with Winry, Al and May.

* * *

He thought about trying the balcony again, but decided that it would probably be too cliché. He walked around his room for a few hours one afternoon, deciding not to join the rest of them for tea in the Imperial Garden. May said that in the morning she would have to attend a meeting with the Emperor and that Al was granted entrance to the meeting by the Imperial Council. Even though Edward knew that Ling had probably asked Al to become Ambassador, Al looked uncomfortable because he had not told Edward himself.

A knock on his chamber door stirred him out of his thoughts as he continued to pace. Al stood outside. Edward sighed with relief and smiled.

"Am I glad to see you little brother!" Edward said.

"Can I come in?" Al said, not smiling.

Edward moved out of the way and let Al into his room, closing the door behind him. They moved towards the sofas in the middle of the room and as they sat down, they were met with an uncomfortable silence. Clearing his throat, Edward leant across and picked up the grapes from the middle of the table and glanced at Al. "You alright?"

Al nodded. "Brother...there's something I need to tell you," Al began quietly. Edward remained silent – he knew what was coming.

Taking a deep breath, Al continued, entwining his hands together and staring at the floor. "I...I want to stay in Xing and study Alkhestry, he said quickly.

He could see that his younger brother was nervous, but Edward couldn't help but laugh. Al looked up at him, a frown creasing on his face. "What's so funny?" he said defensively.

"I knew that already, idiot. You want to stay here and study with May: I already know you've been offered a job," Edward said casually, neatly finishing off a set of grapes.

Al blinked. "What?"

Edward rolled his eyes and sat up straight. "Ling told me the first night we were here: so congrats, Al. I knew you would love it here..." Edward trailed off as he remembered his younger brother's ease with his obvious feelings towards May.

Leaning back and sighing, Al smiled. "I'm relieved," he said happily.

"Yeah...hey listen, Al...I don't know how to say this, and to be honest it's kind of humiliating but -" Edward began.

"But you need help from your younger brother on how to successfully propose to Winry?" Al finished, giving Edward an amused smile. "I swear, you two are as bad as each other – you were clueless about her when we were younger and now she's clueless about what you're trying to do, even though everybody in this whole palace knows!" Al said, chuckling.

"The whole palace?" Edward spluttered, feeling his face heat up.

"Of course!" Al chuckled. "Seriously though Ed: just be yourself. You know her better than anyone... just, you know... get down on one knee and propose – there are some roses in the garden here, so pick one of those. Oh! And make sure to serenade her too, because your singing voice could melt any girl's heart-"

Edward threw a satin cushion at Al. "That's the last time I ask for your help," he grumbled.

"But where would you be without me?" Al sighed merrily.

Before Edward could retort, there was a knock at his chamber door. He got up and answered it, to see May on the other side.

"You looking for Al?" Edward said, smiling in the hope that he could get back at his brother.

May quickly shook her head, and Edward's smile dropped when he saw the strain on her face. "Mr Edward, some awful news has just reached Miss Winry from Amestris: it's about her grandmother," May said in a weak voice.

Al came to the door beside Edward. "Granny Pinako? What's happened?"

May swallowed. "I was just helping Miss Winry pick out a kimono for tonight's feast when an Amestrian messenger boy arrived at the palace. He came to give a note to her which she read quickly. I don't know what's happened but Miss Winry is packing up her bags and is requesting to leave-"

Edward pushed past May and began running towards Winry's room: Al and May hot on his heels. He didn't bother to knock on her door as he finally reached her chamber. The servants standing outside looked startled by their sudden appearance, and hurriedly bowed and slipped away as May dismissed them. Edward pushed open the door and stood int he doorway.

Winry was sat on the large low bed surrounded by an abundance of stunning satin cushions. Her head was bowed, her fringe covering her face and a small piece of parchment in her hands. She looked up as they entered, and quickly wiped her eyes: her hair had already been braided and had small chopsticks in it in preparation for the feast later that night.

"I've got to head back home," she said, her voice shaking. Winry stood up, placed the letter down and threw a few final essentials in her suitcase and then snapped it shut. She then turned to Edward, Al and May who had not moved from the doorway. "I'm sorry to leave but granny's taking her final breaths, and she needs to see me before..." Winry closed her eyes and swallowed. After a moment, she opened them and turned to pick up her suitcase.

"Granny's... dying?" Al said quietly.

Edward moved forward and pulled Winry into a tight hug. He felt her hug him back, and over his shoulder, he glanced at the letter lying on the bed:

_Miss Winry Rockbell_

_I send this urgent message on behalf of your grandmother Pinako Rockbell who is in her final few days at most. Your attendance at her bedside is requested as she wishes to pass in the family home. I urge you to return to Resembool as soon as you receive this message. I hope that once you get this message, it is not already too late._

_Dr Richard Watkins_

"...I'll have to go back too, May. Just to see Granny off," Al was saying to May.

"No Al, I'll go back by myself – I don't want to cut your trip short," Winry interjected.

"Don't be ridiculous! She's family," Al protested.

Edward nodded and pulled away from Winry. "We're coming too. I can't leave you like this. And I think Granny will want to lecture me one final time," he said, smiling weakly.

"I'll make travel arrangements immediately...and I'll have to assist you of course," May said turning to leave the room.

"You're coming too?" Al said, surprised.

"Of course, Al sama. That way I can make sure you return to Xing," she said smiling. Then she blushed deeply and excused herself from the room.

* * *

They took the train back to Xerxes, and then galloped at a surprisingly high speed through the desert until they reached the outskirts of Youswell. They did not once stop for a break or to pick up food – May had made sure that the pouches on their horses were full of supplies before they left. Strictly speaking, she wasn't supposed to escort them back, and had snuck out with them and managed to ditch her guards and servants for a few minutes – in that time, she made her escape with the trio.

They caught a train from Youswell to Resembool, and within twelve hours, they were climbing off the train at the quiet Resembool train station. It was the early hours of the morning when they walked wearily up the path to the yellow house on the hill. A few cars were parked outside, and instantly Edward knew that this return to Resembool would not be as joyful as the previous ones. Cars hardly ever drove up to the house, but there were at least four parked outside. The curtains were closed in every window, and Edward noted that everything seemed to be quite still. He glanced at Winry who walked beside him, her eyes fixed on the house.

They cautiously stepped into the silent house. Winry placed her suitcase down and headed straight for the stairs. Edward, Al and May stayed downstairs and moved to the kitchen, to make some coffee.

"Oh, you must be the Elric brothers – has Winry arrived?" a middle aged woman said from the doorway behind them.

Edward vaguely remembered seeing this woman around the village. She had been a kind woman who had lost her baby to the same sickness that had taken their mother. Edward nodded, and whispered for Al to go ahead and make some coffee.

"Sorry it took us so long to get here – we were visiting Xing," Edward apologised.

The woman shook her head. "Not to matter. Ms. Rockbell is still with us – she always was a stubborn woman," she said, chuckling darkly.

"Much like her granddaughter," Edward mumbled.

The rest of the morning was spent with Edward seeing to all of the family friends and loyal customers who had come to pay their respects. He hadn't seen Winry once since they had arrived, but he had heard from the many visitors that he was diligently at her grandmother's bedside. It was weary work looking after visitors, and Edward got a little annoyed when Al and May went off for a 'quick' walk together, as the last guest left. The house was silent once again, so Edward cleared up the various coffee mugs and dirty dishes where food had been offered. He then made his way upstairs and slowly entered Pinako's room.

The curtains were open, letting in the cool moonlight. Pinako sat up in her bed, leaning on a few fluffy pillows, with Winry sat on a chair next to the bed, her head resting in her hands on the edge of Pinako's bed. The old woman looked up at Edward's entrance.

"I was wondering when _you_ were coming to see me," she said quietly.

Edward closed the door behind him and smiled. "I've been looking after your visitors all day – who thought you would be the most popular woman in Resembool?"

Pinako chuckled, which then turned into a rasping cough. Winry did not stir. Pinako looked at her sleeping granddaughter and then back at Edward.

"Ed... you had better look after her," she said quietly.

"But of course," Edward replied, standing closer to the bed.

"Yes, of course... I'm so glad sense was finally knocked into you - I remember when Trisha first introduced you to Winry," Pinako smiled.

"You do?" Edward said, disbelieving.

"Of course I do! I may be old, but I haven't forgotten everything. Yes, you were in Trisha's arms and Winry was in Sara's. Your mother said 'look here Ed; this is Winry', and you turned in her arms and stared at my granddaughter with an expression on your face that I still can't place...wonder? Heh, no, you were curious by her and she stared at you back, and I swear there was electricity in the air. Then Winry reached a stubby little arm forward and poked you on the cheek, and boy, did you cry!" Pinako laughed, and once again, it turned into a rasping cough.

"Granny..."

She shook her head and waved a hand at him. "No no, it's fine. I think all those years of smoking those wonderful pipes is catching up with me," she smiled. Pinako looked at Winry again, and her face became still.

"Edward, please tell me you are planning to marry my daughter?" Pinako whispered her voice cracking.

Edward stared. "I was actually going to ask her while we were in Xing," he admitted, praying that Winry was really asleep.

Pinako cocked an eyebrow at him. "And you didn't?"

He sighed. "Ah, not you too – everybody is reminding me what a coward I am," he grumbled.

"I know she'll say yes, if that's what you're worried about – she's been ready to say yes since she was fifteen," Pinako chuckled.

"What? But she's already turned me down once..."

"Oh please Ed: you were three... would you do me a favour?" she asked, turning to look up at him.

"Anything, Granny," he replied.

"I doubt it would be anything...but nonetheless, could you go to the top draw in my dressing table cabinet? There's a small red velvet box in there: I would like to see it please."

Edward did as he was told, and sure enough he found it easily enough in the light of the moon. He walked back over to the bed and held it out to Pinako. Her weak fingers closed around the box and Edward's hand. She clasped it tightly, despite her deteriorating health.

"You keep this," she said weakly, her voice becoming hoarse.

"What is it?" he asked, not tearing his gaze away from Pinako's – she had tears in her eyes.

"It's Winry's parent's wedding rings. They were sent back here after the civil war and I kept them," she took a deep breath. "I want you and Winry to have them."

Edward felt a lump on his throat, and he shook his head. "Granny: I can't take these-"

"Yes you can!" she snapped, her grip on his hand tighter. "Please Ed: give this old woman one last piece of happiness," she sniffed, and slowly released her hand.

He nodded and bowed his head. "Yes, granny."

* * *

Pinako Judith Rockbell passed away the following morning as she settled down to take a quick nap after talking to Winry in the early hours of the morning. When Winry had walked back into the room, Pinako's eyes were closed, her face was peaceful but her body was still.

The simple funeral took place just one day later: all the arrangements had been made by family friends as she had been in her final weeks. A horse drawn carriage carried her little coffin up to the village graveyard, and simple, kind words were said as her coffin was lowered into the ground. Winry, Edward and Al all threw a white rose onto the coffin before the soil was gently replaced. Her gravestone stood next to her son's, Urey.

They were the last to leave the funeral – Edward and Winry. They paid their respects to Pinako, and then turned to Winry's parents, where she laid fresh flowers. He clutched her hand tight and looked over at his own parent's graves lying quietly not too far away.

Both of their families had gone: it was time to start a new one.


	29. Happiness

After two days, Winry was silently amazed by how dusty her grandmother's room had become. Of course, it had only been two days since the funeral, but it had nearly been a week since the morning then her grandmother had gently shaken awake a dozing Winry so she was aware of Pinako's last few minutes in their world.

"It will be alright, dear," Pinako had said, clutching Winry's hand tighter. Tears had begun to fall from Winry's eyes which she had hastily wiped away – she hadn't wanted to mourn for her when she was still in her company, alive.

As the light behind Pinako's eyes slowly faded, they hardly spoke, but rather cherished each other's company, knowing it would be for the last time. However, Pinako had occasionally squeezed Winry's hand just that little bit tighter, and Winry knew that her grandmother would never have dreamt of admitting it – Pinako was scared.

"Hey, I'll be able to see your parents and tell them how proud I am of you," Pinako had said softly, her voice almost a whisper. Winry smiled gently. "Oh, and then I'll tell Trisha and Hohenheim what an idiot their eldest son was for making you work hard and worry so much..." Pinako then coughed painfully, and swatted away Winry's hands that were reaching to pat her on the back.

"You're...you're in safe hands Winry."

"I'll miss you Granny. Thank you for everything," Winry said quickly, trying not to let her voice crack.

"No thank you; for being the best granddaughter any grandparent could ask for-" she then coughed again and slowly lay back down. She smiled, took one last look at Winry and closed her eyes. Her breathing slowed and the tight grip on Winry's hand became slack...

Jolting herself back to the present, Winry tried not to look at her grandmother's bed where she had passed and laid for a few days as well-wishes came to give their sympathy and their final goodbyes. Instead, she set her mind to the present task at hand and walked over to the window, pulling back the curtains, letting the light burst into the room. The sunlight managed to truly show how dusty the room really was, and Winry saw millions of small dust particles rise in the air as she squinted her eyes. That was until something glistening caught her eye.

On her grandmother's bedside table, was the deceased woman's old round spectacles, resting neatly and casually on top of a book, where a fabric bookmark was sticking out, three quarters of the way though the novel. Pinako must have placed them there herself one night, after reading a chapter or two from the book. For some odd reason, Winry suddenly found it very sad to think that Pinako will never know the ending to that novel. Unwillingly, her thoughts trailed and questioned bitterly if Pinako had known that she was never going to finish that novel.

Winry bit her lip, turned on her heel and stepped onto the landing where she pulled a few small crates into the room, their wooden and metallic edge sliding uncomfortably against the old wooden floor. Pulling the nearest one towards her, she picked up the unfinished novel that was sitting in the dusty sun and put it in the box. There was a small low bookcase in the bedroom, so Winry dragged to box over to it, and began sorting through all of Pinako's books, not letting herself be tempted to read the blurb on the back of any of them – it was probably for the best that she didn't pry into what books her grandmother had been reading – it might only upset her further.

As the day progressed, Winry remained alone as she slowly packed away her grandmothers belongings into the boxes. Her throat had tightened when she had pulled open the wardrobe cupboards to be met with the smoky and somewhat naturally and pleasant musky smell of her grandmother. She had reached out and touched the hem of one of her favourite skirts, before quickly pulling it off the hanger, folding it up neatly and placing it, along with all of the other clothes from the wardrobe in the box. These clothes were going to be donated as aid for the people returning back to their homeland of Ishbal, however there was one box in the corner of the room where a few sparse belongings had taken rest: on the side was a big label saying 'keep'. She didn't know where she would actually keep all of said items that were present in the box, but inside were items which were worth a little money, but it mainly consisted of items which had a sentimental value to her, such as photographs of her father as a little boy and some of her grandmother's jewellery.

Losing all track of time, Winry only noticed that it was late when she heard Al farewell May to bed. Startled, Winry dropped the photo album in her hands and glanced outside the window where the night had well untruly set in. She could have sworn that it was only moments ago that she had turned on a standing lamp, telling herself she would begin making dinner once she had emptied one more drawer in her grandmother's dressing table.

Gingerly, Winry dodged the boxes littering her grandmother's room and quietly creaked open the door, where she caught sight of May standing just inside her bedroom and Al standing on the threshold in the hallway.

"...you might want to tell your brother that we haven't seen her all day too, and that she hasn't been down to eat," May was saying quietly.

Al nodded. "I will, but I don't want to disturb her – she specifically said she wanted to be alone to clear out the room."

"Yes, but I do worry," May said, dipping her head. After a moment, Al's hand came down on May's chin, forcing her to look up at him. Rather than say anything else, he kissed her, and Winry felt her cheeks redden as May snaked her arms around Al's neck.

Winry was grateful that she was quite light-footed as she tiptoed across the landing, to avoid the embarrassment of them all. Really to her, Al was like her brother, so to see him sharing a private moment with May was extremely uncomfortable for her. None the less, Winry was glad that they had now made their feelings of each other known, and Winry suspected it had been helped by the lack of guards surrounding May.

As she reached the bottom step, Winry sighed and walked through the dark house to the kitchen where her stomach finally caught up with the fact that she hadn't eaten all day. She pushed open the kitchen door and paused in her tracks to see Edward hunched over the sink, his back to her. At first there was nothing unusual about this, except that he wasn't moving, but his shoulders quivered a little. Shocked, Winry swiftly moved behind him and gently touched his elbow, as his hands were submerged in the soapy dishwater. He jerked when he felt her touch and glanced at her, whipping his hands out of the water, and with a dry part of his arm, he quickly rubbed his eyes and coughed.

"Err, hey Winry," he said weakly, turning his attention back to the washing up.

Winry felt herself shaking: this was not what she had been expecting. Had Edward been cry-?

"Some stupid washing up liquid got in my eye. Goddamn it, it stings like hell," he mumbled.

Winry remained silent and turned away, ready to walk out of the room – she couldn't stand the thought of the strongest person she knew, whom had scolded her for crying, was at a weak moment. It had caught her completely unaware.

"Wait!" he called. Winry stopped by the kitchen table, noting that the outside gas lamp was the only source of light in the room. She turned her head slightly and waited for him to continue. However, he stayed silent, and Winry turned and looked at him, to see his head down and him chewing his bottom lip.

After a moment, she turned away again, picked up her coat by the door, and pulled it on. "I'm going for a walk," she said softly, needing to be out of the house, and away from the world. She needed to be away from people: so many had offered their condolences at the funeral but they fell on deaf ears as Winry felt the anger bubble up inside her. As she closed the door behind her and set off at a fast pace, not too sure where she was going she clenched her fists: what everybody had said to her was the same: they had little or no sympathy, they could not help and their words were meaningless. They didn't know what it was like to have the only guardian she had ever truly know snatched away from her, nor had they witnessed the death. They hadn't been there, so how could they say 'they understand'?

Gritting her teeth and pulling her coat around tighter, Winry stared bitterly at the ground as she walked briskly in the evening chill. None of them understood. None of them had known her grandmother as well as her, so they knew nothing of the loss. She had to leave the house in case Edward had begun to mutter monotonous and meaningless sweet sympathies, like everybody else. She didn't want May to worry about her, who had asked her? Why did she care? Does May pity her?

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard footsteps behind her. She glanced over her shoulder to see Edward running to catch up with her. She felt surprised for a moment – it wasn't like him to come after her, usually he would leave her and let her come back in her own time – which was usually the best thing to do.

"I need to be alone Ed," Winry said over her shoulder, not stopping.

"I gathered," he panted. "But you've been alone all day, not to mention the last few days: I haven't seen you."

"I need to be alone," Winry repeated, not wanting to have this conversation.

"You've been alone – let me help," he replied quickly, and Winry could tell that he was beginning to get annoyed. Good: that's the normal Ed she knows.

She continued to walk, ignoring the bitter chill of the early autumnal wind that snatched around her face, making her shiver. However, the steps behind her persisted and got closer, until a warm hand encircled her arm, pulling her to a stop and turning her towards him. She tried to escape his clutch and attempted to wriggle free.

"Winry," he said softly but firmly. Winry looked at him and stopped struggling as those golden eyes left her entranced. Suddenly something clicked inside her... had she been trying to push him away? The man she had waited for all her life, the young man who had finally not denied himself from her...

"I...I..." Winry began, taking quick breaths, and before she could help it, the burning sting of tears reached her eyes and she began to sob hysterically, barely aware of the arms that wrapped around her and the chin that rested on her head.

It was the first time her body had taken over and let her cry. A few tears were shed at the funeral, but for appearances sake, she had quickly taken control of them, to show the visitors and well-wishers that she was still strong, even though it felt like a big chunk of her had just been pulled away. No; it was time to let it all out and for once, Edward didn't scold her nor reason with her: he stayed quiet and let her cry.

Eventually, she became aware of where they were and the darkness that was around them, not to mention the cold of the late night (or was it the early hours of the morning?), and she shivered again and took several deep breaths.

"I'm sorry..." she began again, pulling away from Edward's embrace and wiping her eyes with the balls of her hands.

"Don't apologise. C'mon, let's carry on walking, yeah?" he said, taking her hand. She nodded and they walked slowly along a path in the dark.

The moon peered through the clouds occasionally and helped them on their stroll, and after many minutes of peaceful silence, Edward finally broke it.

"You know I'm here for you, right? I don't want to see you like that... it's not good for you to keep it all bottled up," he said quietly. "What made you so angry?"

She glanced at him: how did he know that she had been angry? She sighed in defeat and slowly told him what had been bothering her – the people who had come to visit, their empty words and lack of understanding.

"Some people know how it feels," Edward cut in.

"Oh really?" Winry said in disbelief.

"Al and I do," he said shortly.

Winry stopped in her tracks. How could she have been so stupid? She stared at him as he looked back at her. "Ed... I'm so sorry... I... I..."

"It's okay... I was just a little worried you were going to do something stupid," he admitted, looking away.

This must have brought everything come crashing back into his memory, Winry thought. Winry had lost her parents around the same time Trisha was taken away and they had been on a somewhat equal level then, with Edward refusing to admit that he had a father who cared. They were practically both orphans then, and Pinako had taken them in as if they were her own grandchildren. It was stupid of Winry to be so selfish – her grandmother had been a guardian to the brothers too.

"Ed... in the kitchen earlier... were you...?" Winry ventured.

He looked up at the moon as it threatened to go behind an approaching cloud. "I guess like you, things just suddenly caught up with me: we both have no parental family left and with the old woman gone it suddenly hit me that she won't be able to bite my head off any more, or lecture me about you. Really, she was my grandmother too, you know," he said more to himself than to her. He then shrugged and a smile touched his lips. "I guess my old man wasn't so bad after all."

They stood together on the crest of a small hill which overlooked most of the valley for quite some time until Winry nodded and said, quite shocked, "I am by my own now – no family," she said.

Edward coughed next to her and she turned to look at him to see him delve a hand in his pocket.

"You know... that can change," he said, looking away. Winry raised an eyebrow: was he embarrassed? Then she replayed in her mind what he had just said and her stomach lifted, but her mind told her to be rational and not over-react.

Instead she said, quite coolly; "Oh, how's that? All of my family are gone."

He suddenly turned to look at her, and under the dim light, Winry could see that he was blushing like a beetroot. He rummaged in his trouser pocket and very slowly pulled out a little velvet box and clutched it tightly in his fingers. He moved closer towards her and looked down, their noses almost touching.

"I mean... maybe it's time for a new family," he breathed, flicking open the box, and Winry eyes darted to it, where something silver glistened.

Without thinking, she closed the distance between them and their lips met briefly. She pulled apart for a moment and then kissed him again, cherishing his taste – they had not kissed nor shared a private moment together since that night in the ruins of Xerxes, and from then they had been off limits to each other due to the strict regime of Xing.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he wrapped his around her waist, somewhat desperately. She didn't want this moment to end – not for a long time had she felt this blissful, nor did she feel any guilt. She felt pure happiness. After what seemed too short for both of them, Edward pulled away and looked down at her, a big smile on his face.

"So that's a 'yes' then?" he said.

Winry grinned. "A 'yes'? You haven't even asked me!" She laughed.

He sighed in pretend irritation. "Will you please bloody marry me?"

"Such language!" Winry exclaimed, pretending to be shocked.

He rolled his eyes. "Fine, fine: Winry Rockbell will you please marry me?"

She paused, and he stared at her suddenly nervous again.

"Yes."

After more passionate kisses, and a slow stroll back to the house (which were sometimes interrupted when Edward wanted her to stop so he could kiss her again), they stepped through the front door to find Al waiting in the hallway. He looked somewhat annoyed, no doubt that they had been missing for what was probably a few hours, but his expression softened and burst into a huge smile when he saw their happy faces and the ring on Winry's finger.


	30. Under the Rain

The flower stalks she cupped in her hands were stiff and cold. The small lily petals were beginning to open in their buds, but were hesitant as small splashes of water bounced off them. Winry walked slowly down the gravel path, staring at her feet as she walked. She silently cursed herself for missing a spot as she saw that there was still oil on her hands from the work on automail she had done earlier that morning.

Now had been the best time to leave the house for some fresh air, because it had been raining all day so far, however it was halting just a little; enough so that without an umbrella, you wouldn't look like a drowned rat after staying in it for too long. It was that misty rain that drizzled light water spots on you and clung to your hair like beads of sweat.

Her light steps crunching into the gravel and the patter of the light rain on the lily flowers were the only sounds that could be heard. Resembool certainly was a sleepy village, even more so on the weekend. As she walked, she mused over the recent happenings in the house: for the most part she had been by herself, with Edward being called back to the South.

She had waved him off from Resembool train station three weeks ago, knowing full well that he wanted to and didn't want to leave: he needed to get away from the mourning and somewhat depressing mood of Resembool now that the village's most liveliest and stubborn old woman had passed on. But he also didn't want to leave Winry.

"Come back with me," he had said desperately on the platform as the train rolled in, grinding to a halt. Winry paused and watched a few passengers get on and off the train. She shook her head.

"I can't. I need to sort out all of Granny's clients, finances and the house. I'll be back in Dublith before you know it," she said.

He had nodded and pulled her into a tight hug. "Just be back soon," he mumbled into her hair, and then boarded the train. He sat by the window and she watched him as he became a dot on the smoky horizon.

Edward had called her a few days later, to see if she was alright, and Winry couldn't help but smile – how the roles had reversed! There had been many times in the past when she would have loved to have said to him to stay with her. Not only that, but him phoning to see if she was doing fine...? That was something she may have done in the past if that was a luxury she could have been given. Winry kicked a small stone as she walked, the smile fading from her face. The house was empty save her: Den was of course still in Dublith with Tom the cat and Alphonse and May had made their departure not too long after Edward's proposal.

Over dinner one night, Al had announced that he and May were to be heading off – not back to Xing, but to the western parts of Amestris, near the border, to see what they could find out. May had chirped in, when they were questioned as to why they weren't going back to Xing, that it's so they could easily travel to the wedding, whenever that would be. Despite Edward proposing, his face had still flushed and as did Winry's: this whole engagement scenario was going to take some getting used to.

It was sad to see the pair leave, but the whole situation was made very light-hearted by Edward's constant taunting of his little brother all the way to the train station and as they waited on the platform. Al had still insisted (much to the mirror of a past Edward) that they were just friends, using each other's knowledge to broaden their horizons. Winry silently begged to differ, as she had seen them flirting numerous times and that night when she had seen them together 'saying goodnight'.

A smile touched her lips as she continued to walk, nearly at her destination. She had put a small bet on with Edward as to when they would receive a letter or a phone call that would state that they had confirmed their feelings to each other. Edward had little belief in his younger brother, and Winry knew that secretly he wanted Al to take just as long as Edward did to 'confess'.

Her face faltered when she saw the entrance of the cemetery, its rusty gates swinging open in the small and wet wind. She remembered why she had come today – it had been exactly a month since her grandmother had passed. Keeping her head down to shield her eyes from the rain, she walked the familiar path to her parents' resting places, where Pinako had been buried next to Winry's father, Urey. She knelt down at Pinako's grave and laid the flowers, cleaning away the old and wilted bunch that had been left there at the funeral. She sat back on her heels and stared at the gravestone with her grandmother's name and dates chiselled in.

"I found a buyer for the house today, Granny," Winry said quietly, the now pouring rain covering her. She should have brought an umbrella. "I didn't want to sell the yellow house, but I think it's time to move on. Did you know Edward asked me to marry him? I wish you had been there to see his smug face after he had proposed. But then again, I guess I have you to thank for prodding him along the way. I am so curious to know what you said to him the night before you... died. But then maybe I guess, it's better that I don't know: the amount of insults you probably said to each other..."

Winry took a deep breath and flicked away her wet fringe that was clinging to her face, the rain water dripping into her eyes. It had been the right decision to sell the house because she knew it would sell fast. Winry certainly wasn't going to be able to maintain the large old house whilst working and living in Dublith. She didn't want it to not be used – the amount of wonderful memories and not so wonderful ones that had taken place... it was time to close that chapter. It was a shock when she had received a phone call that morning saying that one family were offering a lot of money for the house with the intention of making it a new family home. Winry had thought about keeping the house (it was out rightly hers anyway), because she wondered whether she could start a family there.

Her thoughts suddenly stopped as she looked up, to see another figure in the graveyard, a few rows in front of her. It was a hunched figure by two gravestones and Winry felt suddenly alarmed, for she knew whose graves those headstones belonged to. Taking one last look at her family's graves, she walked up behind the hunched figure that was also being soaked to the bone and the rain fell harder and a clap of thunder rolled in the valley. It was somewhat surprising to see a golden blonde ponytail sitting tangled and wet on his hunched shoulders. He must have heard her approach as he suddenly looked up.

"Ed," Winry said, unsure what to say. He stared at her, with somewhat empty eyes and then turned back to the gravestones. It was unusual, Winry realised, that he was sat in front of his father's grave.

"You know, I've only visited him once since he was buried here," he mumbled. Winry knelt down beside him so she could hear him better. The rain that poured on his trench coat was obscurely loud. Winry thought it was best that she remained silent: well not only that, but also because she wasn't too sure how to respond.

"Winry..." he said quietly, not looking at her. She placed an hand on his arm and inched closer, to offer some comfort.

"I... I don't want to become like him," he admitted, taking a deep breath and flicking his gaze to the dark sky.

Winry stared at him. He didn't want to be like Hohenheim...?

"What do you mean?" she ventured. Sure, his father had abandoned him and his sick wife and newborn child, but he had done it for the greater good, to help save the citizens of Amestris, which he did.

"I don't want to be bound down by the military – I don't want them to take me away from you, like they have done so much already," he said.

She squeezed his arm. "You're not being taken away. You work for them, and thus have a responsibility – remember why you are doing your job Ed ... to help other little girls to get the chance Nina didn't have," Winry said, knowing full well the horrific story of Nina, Alexander and Shou Tucker.

He nodded, but then began to shake his head. "But they are forcing me away from you, when I want to live my life with you: I'm scared it's going to become more frequent-"

"And if it does then we will get on with it," Winry replied briskly. The amount of times he had walked away to go on his journeys all of those years ago. They had both carried on with their lives and if it hadn't been for that, Winry probably wouldn't be the respected automail engineer she was now becoming.

"But what if... what I miss important things?" he said.

"Like what?" she asked, tilting her head to one side, really wishing she had brought an umbrella.

"Well... like what happened to my mother..."

"I'm not dying, Ed," Winry said flatly.

"I know! But she caught a sudden illness remember? What if that happened to you...?

Winry exhaled and pinched the bridge of her nose. She was wondering what had brought all of this on: it couldn't have just been a visit to his father's grave. Why had he come back in the first place? Putting her budding questions aside she focused on the task in hand – to reassure him and get him back to the house.

"C'mon; let's head back. We're both soaked."

He sighed and stood up, brushing himself down. He looked down at her and smiled.

"I don't know how you do it?" he said.

"Do what?" she asked curiously.

"Get me to speak everything that's on my mind: I was so good at hiding stuff from you," he shrugged.

Winry frowned. "That's not something to be proud of. You had me worried sick."

He wrapped and arm around her shoulder and they began to walk back.

"...I know."


End file.
